You Do, You Don't
by MooshiSushi
Summary: He wanted nothing to do with someone like her. She wanted nothing to do with someone like him. It was fate. Or just really bad karma. DuncanxCourtney
1. First Impressions Always Count

**Chapter 1: The Transfer Student**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Total Drama Island or any of its characters. But if I did, you can be sure you'd be getting hella more Duncan & Courtney moments. TDI doesn't have enough of that couple to satisfy me. **

"_Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time." -Anonymous_

Courtney stared at the dark-haired teen in front of her.

"He looks scary," Gwen whispered to her from behind.

Courtney nodded faintly, instinctively backing up into the plastic of her seat as the boy's gaze landed on her.

Their eyes met for a moment, jade green to teal, and the young man looked down at her almost scornfully. His lips curled in disdain.

"I expect you guys to help Duncan and show him around the school if he needs it. You can have the empty seat next to Geoff, Duncan. Geoff, raise your hand so Duncan knows who you are."

The young man loped past Courtney, the scent of weed and smoke following him like a shadow.

Courtney scrunched her nose.

The new transfer student was terrifying in demeanor. It was hard to believe he was the nephew of the good-natured and benevolent Mr. Devlin, their math teacher.

Apparently, his previous school had some problems with him. In the end, he got kicked out and was sent over to Independence. He looks like he's been in juvie several times, too, Courtney thought warily.

The sixteen-year-old's pale skin seemed almost transparent in the light. His jet-black hair was styled up into spikes with gel. The tips of his spikes gleamed a bright green. There was a shadow of stubble around his chin and jaw, giving him a rugged look. His teal eyes were dull and bored.

No doubt about it.

He had the look of a bad boy. Low denim cargo pants, red Converse high tops, knee-high jockey socks, and a moderately tight black graphic t-shirt over a white long-sleeve. Piercings gleamed on his ears, nose, lips and eyebrows. There was a spiked dog collar wrapped around his throat like a choker. Courtney winced as she saw the steel spikes glint dangerously in the light.

"Kinda cute, though, don't you think?" Gwen asked, propping her chin on her hands.

Courtney resumed doing her work. "Have a go at him, then."

"But, he's not my type," Gwen sighed, continuing to doodle on the edge of her paper. Her aqua-green eyes traveled over to the preppy brunet jock, Trent, sitting across the room.

Trent offered her a smile.

**"Love is like a roller coaster ride. You're impatient to get on it when you're in line, but when your turn to get on it comes up, second thoughts come up with it." -Anonymous**

"Courtney, may I have a word with you?" the teacher called, beckoning Courtney back as she was about to leave the classroom. Courtney exchanged glances with Gwen.

"I'll wait if you want," Gwen said, adjusting her black boots more snugly over her fishnet-covered knees.

"Nah, just go ahead. I'll catch up later," Courtney declined, waving off her friend.

She hurried back into the classroom, wondering what it was that Mr. Devlin wanted to discuss with her. She hadn't done a really remarkable project lately or anything… and it certainly wouldn't be something bad!

Mr. Devlin only ever called her back in class to praise her for her good work.

Courtney looked down at her teacher, who was busily shuffling some papers. "What did you want to tell me, Mr. Devlin?"

"About the new transfer student," Mr. Devlin started, looking hesitant.

Courtney felt an ominous notion crawl up her stomach.

"He's new here, and Independence is a very big school."

Aw, crap.

Mr. Devlin adjusted his glasses over the bridge of his nose. "I would be very pleased if you would, well, take care of him, in a way. Show him around, help him with his homework, that sort of stuff. Keep the kid out of trouble."

"Er," Courtney tried to hide the dissatisfaction in her voice. "I… I guess."

Mr. Devlin looked up at her, a bit of pleading in his eyes. "I trust you to help him. He's had… problems back in his old school. And the only reason the principal of Independence accepted the kid is because I personally asked him to."

Mr. Devlin sighed.

"Duncan _is_ my nephew, and I do love him so. He's a good kid in his own kind of way. But he has an uncanny knack of running into trouble at each school he's been to. And he's been to _a lot_ of schools." Mr. Devlin propped his chin on his calloused hands. "I promised the principal that Duncan would be on his best behavior at Independence, but I won't be able to patrol him all the time."

Mr. Devlin's wide blue eyes looked up beseechingly into Courtney's green ones.

"Please, you're the best student in my class, and the only one I would trust to keep a promise. Can you watch over Duncan for me? I would hate to disappoint the principal after I gave him my word."

Courtney knew she couldn't say no. Mr. Devlin looked so lost and pathetic as he looked up at her, hands almost clasped in earnest.

"Of course, Mr. Devlin," Courtney said gently, hugging her textbook to her chest. "I'll do my best to keep Duncan out of trouble. I'll tutor him in math, too, if he needs it."

Mr. Devlin's face broke in relief. "Thank you, so much. I promise you a chuckload of extra credit for doing this. Thank you, thank you."

Mr. Devlin beamed up at the young girl.

"Deep down, he's a great person. You and Duncan will be great friends, I'm sure."

Courtney smiled awkwardly.

What the hell did she get herself into?

_**"The heart has its reasons which reason knows not of." –Blaise Pascal**_

Courtney traipsed through the school, looking for Duncan.

She would be able to tell him from anywhere. Those shocking green spikes would stand out in the crowd of normal black and brown and gold.

No one in this school had hair like that. Besides Gwen. She was the only one who consistently got away from the school's dress code.

She was, after all, the principal's daughter.

Courtney combed throughout the school, looking for Duncan, but she didn't find the teen with the green spikes.

Just when she was about to give up, Courtney spied a lone figure leaning against the brick wall near the library.

His green hair was noticeable even from this far away.

Duncan.

He was smoking.

Courtney wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"You shouldn't smoke, you know," Courtney said once she was close enough. "And if you get caught, you'll get in trouble."

Not like that's anything new to him, Courtney thought.

Duncan idly regarded Courtney out of the corner of his eye.

"Do I look like I care?" he sneered, drawing another breath from his cigarette.

Courtney ignored his response and came a little bit closer to him.

Duncan's presence terrified her, but she made a promise to Mr. Devlin. And she wasn't about to back out on it. She gave him her word, and besides, extra credit never hurt anyone.

"Why are you here all by yourself?" Courtney asked, dropping her totebag by Duncan's backpack.

"Why are you so nosy?" Duncan responded without missing a beat. He didn't even bother to look at her.

Courtney leaned against the wall next to Duncan. "Can't a girl ask a question?"

Duncan gave a sigh. "What do you want?"

"I just wanna be your friend," Courtney said untruthfully, grasping at her hands awkwardly.

"The offer's tempting, but I'm afraid I must refuse," Duncan replied dryly. He jabbed at his chest. "I don't need friends. Nor do I want any."

Courtney was irked by Duncan's attitude. She turned to face him, her hands propped on her hips.

"Would it kill you to be a little more social than this?" she demanded, eyes ablaze.

Duncan chuckled derisively. He dropped his cigarette to the floor and ground it out with the sole of his shoe.

"Well, it would do me considerable pain to talk to someone like you," he said, smirking slightly. "Princess."

"Don't call me 'Princess'," Courtney snapped. "I'm trying to be your friend, and here you are, being a royal pain."

Duncan raised a pierced eyebrow. "Then stop trying. It's not like I'm asking you to be my friend." He rolled his teal eyes.

"No," Courtney narrowed her eyes, "But your uncle is."

Duncan's face fell slack at the mention of his uncle and he gave a groan. "I should've known. The old man wants someone to watch over me. Like a babysitter," he added with disgust.

"He's just worried about you," Courtney said, crossing her arms.

Duncan pursed his lips, the ring embedded through his lower lip glinting in the sun.

Courtney noticed that he had a nose ring, too. And an eyebrow ring.

God, how many piercings could a person have?

"Yeah, well," Duncan shoved his hands into his pocket, "Tell him to stop. I don't need someone like you to watch over me all the time. So thanks, but no thanks." He waved his hand at her in a shooing sort of fashion. "_Leave_."

"Fine, then," Courtney snapped, snatching her totebag off of the floor. "Be ungrateful. I hope you're happy being the loner of the school." She threw a dirty look at the teen over her shoulder. "You won't have to be bothered by me anymore after this. _Good bye_."

Courtney stalked off, fuming, but slightly pleased.

At least she had the final word.

But when she looked back, Courtney saw Duncan leaning back against the wall, another cigarette lodged between his lips. And he didn't even seem to be bothered by Courtney's sharop words

Courtney gave a breath of disgust and stomped away.

Screw the extra credit.

This guy was impossible.

_**"I'd like to run away from you, but if you didn't come and find me, I would die." –Shirley Bassey**_

Courtney walked home, thoughts racing through her head.

Her conversation with Duncan today was running through her mind.

She had all of her classes with him. It was so awkward. It even embarrassed Courtney, thinking back on how she reacted. How could she explain to Mr. Devlin that she totally blew her top off at his nephew after she promised to watch over the guy?

Man. Life sucks.

She would probably have to try again with Duncan tomorrow.

Courtney felt a new resolution rise through her.

Ha. Courtney Mann never gives up!

"Watch out!" a voice called from behind Courtney.

The sound of wheels rolling over cement greeted the brunette, and Courtney whirled around in surprise, textbooks dropping on the floor.

All she saw was a blur on a skateboard, and the bad thing was, it was rocketing straight at her.

Before she had time to react, the figure rammed straight into Courtney, knocking the girl right off of her feet and onto the floor.

Courtney let out a little yelp as she smashed into the hard cement, books and papers scattering all over the sidewalk.

"Ow," she moaned, trying to sit up. Lights flashed in the back of her head.

"Damn," the guy in front of Courtney said, rubbing his head. A flash of green caught her eye. "Don't you watch where you're going, Princess?"

Princess?

It took Courtney a while to realize who the guy sprawled on the floor was, but after a while of blinking, Courtney registered, with a little shock, that it was none other than Duncan.

**A/N: So, what do you think? Any ideas or comments/advice are welcome(: btw, whenever there's a quote, it means that some period of time has passed. And I just love finding cute quotesxD And I know Courtney's eyes are black in the cartoon, but I really do prefer green. **


	2. Taking Her Home

**Chapter 2: Taking Her Home**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Total Drama Island or any of its characters. But if I did, you can be sure you'd be getting hella more Duncan & Courtney moments. TDI doesn't have enough of that couple to satisfy me. **

_"Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale." –Anonymous_

"D-Duncan?" Courtney spluttered, shooting up, ignoring the pain in her head and back.

"Who else?" the teen replied sarcastically, getting up to his feet.

He offered a hand to Courtney. Without thinking, she took it.

With a quick pull, Duncan hauled Courtney up to her feet.

But the moment she tried to stand on her left foot, it buckled beneath her and she quickly clamped a hand onto Duncan's sturdy shoulder to keep steady.

She couldn't seem to stand on her left foot.

Courtney gingerly tried to stand by herself again.

Searing pain shot through her leg.

"Augh," Courtney cried, tightening her hold on Duncan's shoulder. She bit her lips in pain.

"You okay?" Duncan asked, warily eying the hand that was still tightly holding his shoulder.

"_No_," Courtney replied scathingly, throwing off her ballet flat. She glanced down. Her ankle was already swollen. "I think I sprained my ankle."

"Oh, man," Duncan groaned, slapping a hand to his forehead. "I'm sorry."

His tone was sincere.

"Yeah, well, apology accepted," Courtney replied, hobbling on one foot.

Courtney carefully slid to the floor to pick up her scattered items. She reached for her folder and some papers that fell out.

Tucking her belongings back into her totebag, Courtney mulled over her options.

No one was home right now. This wasn't worth making her mother leave her job midway to drive her home. And her brother was at swim practice at his college. He wouldn't be able to reach her call.

Courtney shook her head.

Home was only a few blocks away. She could limp her way home and just sit on the couch the rest of the day. The ankle didn't hurt that bad.

Courtney winced.

Okay, it did. But a C.I.T was trained to endure everything!

"So, uh, how were you planning to get home?" Duncan asked unsurely, helping pick up some papers on the floor and handing it to Courtney. "You walking?"

"Well, that's what I was planning to do before you crashed into me and made me sprain my ankle," Courtney said coolly, snatching the papers away from the young man.

"I said I was sorry," Duncan snapped. "What more do you want?"

"Maybe a way to get home without killing myself?" Courtney asked sarcastically. "That would be helpful."

Duncan paused, rubbing his hand on the crook of his chin.

Then, he smiled deviously.

"I've got an idea," Duncan said, rubbing his hands together, a gesture that made Courtney apprehensive. "Don't worry, Princess. Today, you can consider me as your knight in shining armor."

"What?" Courtney asked warily, not liking the look in his eyes. "What do you mean, knight in shining--"

Duncan kneeled down, grabbed Courtney by the waist, and in one swift movement, threw the young woman over his shoulder before she could even finish her sentence.

"Oh my--" Courtney gasped, too shocked to even be angry. "What are you _doing_?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Duncan asked, his tone lethargic. "I'm carrying you home."

Courtney's mouth dropped open.

Was this guy _for real_?

"You can't be serious!" she squeaked, grasping the back of Duncan's shirt, trying to escape from his grasp. "What will people say?"

"Uh, do I look like I care what they say?" the teen replied lazily.

"You can't just carry me around like a… a sack of potatoes!" Courtney spluttered, indignant.

He flipped the skateboard up and caught it deftly with his right hand.

"Well, you're certainly heavy like one," Duncan replied, smirking. He shifted her body for emphasis.

Courtney blushed furiously, absolutely pissed at the point he implied. "You are the rudest person I have ever met," Courtney spat. "I don't need your help." She struggled to get off his shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Duncan said carelessly, waving her comments off like a person would flick off a fly. "Where do you live, Princess?" He looked around.

"Look, put me down," Courtney said, trying to keep her tone level. "I… I can walk home by myself."

"Right," Duncan quipped sarcastically. "Now, I'm not enjoying this any more than you are, but I crashed into you, so I guess you _could_ say it's my fault."

"It _is _your fault!" Courtney snarled, outraged.

Duncan made an impatient sound. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now, give me the directions to your home. The sooner we get this over with, the better."

"But, Duncan," Courtney whispered in a horrified tone as a kid from their high school walked by, casting odd looks. There was a group of people across the street staring, also.

She could just imagine what the people at school would say the next morning. Courtney being carried around like a sack of potatoes by the school's delinquent.

"Hey, back off," Duncan snapped at the staring passersby. "Nothing here to look at; move on!"

He stalked down the block, each step quick and decisive. It wasn't like as if he even had a hundred and fifteen pound girl on his shoulder.

Despite his rudeness, Courtney felt a little guilty that he had to carry her like this all the way. She was the type of girl that lost her temper easily, but also forgave just as readily.

But Courtney was still fuming about that previous comment to her weight. You just don't make that sort of comment about a girl's weight.

"So, where do I go now, Princess?" Duncan asked, stopping in front of the crossing sign.

"Left," Courtney said dully, hanging loosely on Duncan's shoulder. She tucked her totebag more securely over her shoulder.

Courtney supposed she was just stuck in this situation, then. There was really nothing she could do about it. And thought Courtney hated to think it, she really didn't know of any other way to get home.

They walked along in silence for a few moments.

"Hey, Princess."

Duncan broke the silence.

"What?"

"You still mad at me about earlier?" he asked, tilting his head back slightly to look at her. His piercings glinted as the sun caught it.

Courtney blinked.

Why did he care if she was still mad at him or not?

But, to be honest, all the anger she had felt towards him had quite evaporated.

You can't really stay mad at someone if they're doing a favor like this for you.

"Can't say I'm mad at you for the time being," Courtney replied grudgingly. "Since you're doing this for me and all."

"Good to hear." They stopped in front of two roads. "Now, where do I go from here?" Duncan asked.

"You go right and keep on going straight until you come to the house that still has Christmas lights on," Courtney replied, a little embarrassed. "It's the only one on the block."

"Wasn't Christmas, like, nine months ago?" She could hear the sarcasm drip from his tone.

Courtney gave a sigh. "My mom likes to put things off, so to speak."

Mom always said that she would take the lights down. One day.

Duncan shifted her weight slightly.

He didn't make any more comments about her weight, much to Courtney's relief.

The brunette tried not to notice the muscles beneath Duncan's shirt, or the way it rippled against her when he moved.

God, she hoped she wasn't blushing. Regardless of the fact that it was this pig of a boy she was in such close proximity to, it was a boy, nonetheless. And Courtney was rarely this close in skin contact to a guy.

She could smell the subtle scent of citrus cologne wafting from Duncan's neck. She resisted the urge to take another sniff.

For a criminal like him, Duncan didn't smell too bad.

Then, suddenly, said criminal stopped.

Courtney looked up, surprised.

They were in her neighborhood and she hadn't even noticed it.

"This your home?" Duncan asked, sounding amused as he stood in front of the quaint house, draped with Christmas lights.

"The one and only," Courtney replied dully.

"Nice Christmas lights," he snorted. "It'll really scare the kids on Halloween."

"Shut up, we haven't had time to take it down," Courtney retorted, looking over her shoulder.

"Whatever. Can you stand?" Duncan let Courtney to the ground with surprising caution, draping her arm over his shoulder for support.

"Ow," Courtney hissed in pain as her foot hit the floor. "I can't stand, Duncan."

"Tch." His grip on Courtney tightened again. A frown flitted across his face. "Up you go, then."

He heaved her back over his shoulder once more, Courtney blushing ashamedly.

She hated having to be lugged around like some helpless person. Courtney was very independent.

With her free hand, Courtney dug awkwardly around in her totebag, searching for her house keys.

The familiar feel of metal greeted her and she yanked the jingly metals out.

"Turn around," Courtney commanded.

"Why?"

"So I can unlock the door, duh."

"Do you know how stupid we'll look if I do that?" Duncan answered dryly.

Courtney paused. An image of Duncan standing there, his back towards the door, and her over his shoulder, trying to unlock it popped into her head.

And it did, indeed, look very stupid.

Duncan gave a sigh. "Give it to me."

Courtney stared at the metal object in her hand, involved in a mental battle of whether or not she should trust Duncan with her house keys.

He could run off once he got them and then come back to steal all the belongings in her house once she was at school.

Duncan seemed to sense what was going on in Courtney's mind.

"Look, Princess," he said exasperatedly, "I'm not gonna steal anything or do something stupid like that, okay? I've already been there, done that. Nothing really thrilling about it. So just give me the key so that I can open the door and let you in."

"Fine," Courtney huffed, tossing the keys over her shoulder into Duncan's outstretched hands. "And stop calling me Princess."

"Whatever, babe."

_"True love doesn't have a happy ending: true love doesn't have an ending." -Anonymous_

**A/N: Okay, Chapter 2 is up! Remember to review, because if you don't, I won't feel like updating no more D: It's no fun writing stories if you don't get no reviews. But, thank you to all the people who commented me! I really appreciated it! Any suggestions/ideas or critique is welcome!**


	3. Never Be Friends

**Chapter 3: Never Be Friends**

**Disclaimer: I don't own TDI or any of its characters. They belong to… well, I forget the name of the companyxD **

"_Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, who will lie under the stars and listen to your heartbeat, or will stay awake just to watch you sleep. Wait for the boy who kisses your forehead, who wants to show you off to the world when you are in sweats, who holds your hand in front of his friends, who thinks you're just as pretty without makeup on. The one who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares and how lucky he is to have you. The one who turns to his friends and says, "That's her." -Anonymous_

Duncan neatly slid the key into the keyhole and flipped it. A click was heard, and the door swung open.

He helped Courtney through the doorway, and, to Courtney's surprise, promptly removed his Converses before she even told him to.

She didn't know he did things like that.

Duncan let loose a low whistle.

"Nice crib you got here," he said, looking around at her house. "You got me tempted, Princess."

"Don't even think about it," Courtney said through gritted teeth. "Touch one thing in this house and you're--"

Duncan gave a low chuckle. "Don't worry, babe. I'll behave."

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Don't call me babe."

"Whatever, doll face."

The dark-haired teen helped Courtney into the pristine living room and plopped her down onto the white sofa seat.

Duncan looked so out of place in her house. He was like a black blotch in the middle of a spotless living room.

"Thank you," Courtney said stiffly, feeling the blood rush through her sprained ankle.

Damn.

Her ankle looked like a huge sausage now. She gingerly propped it on the glass coffee table in front of her.

"Ooh," Duncan said, grimacing as he looked at Courtney's swollen limb. "Doesn't look too good. You want some ice or something?"

"Yeah," Courtney replied, too distracted by her wound to notice Duncan's open act of kindness. "There's an ice pack in the fridge."

"Cool." Duncan walked into the kitchen, his socks whispering across the marble. Courtney's ears strained to hear the sound of the freezer's door opening.

She didn't trust Duncan enough yet to leave him alone unattended. Who knows; there might be something valuable lying around in the kitchen that could catch Duncan's eye.

The sound of the fridge door sliding open and the rustling of the ice pack reached Courtney's ears.

She relaxed against the plush of the seat, doing her best not to move her ankle.

Duncan reappeared in the living room, an ice pack in hand.

"Here you go, Princess," Duncan said, laying the ice pack across her ankle. "Hope it gets better."

"Me, too," Courtney sighed. "I'm just glad it's a Friday. I have two days for my ankle to heal." She looked up at Duncan, who was hovering in front of her, expression bored. "I'm good now, Duncan. You don't have to stay."

But scenarios rushed through her head even as she said this. What if some burglar came into the house? Would she be able to escape on her sprained ankle?

Probably not.

Her mother wouldn't be home until five. And her brother didn't come home until around 6 on swimming practice days. He usually hung out and relaxed with his friends for an hour or two after training.

She would be home alone for at least two hours.

And _anything _could happen in two hours.

"I think it's best if I stay," Duncan said easily, flopping into the empty seat next to Courtney. He was a little too close for comfort; she could smell that odd scent emanating from him.

It wasn't bad. In fact, she kinda liked it. That citrusy, minty, tobacco-y sort of smell.

But it was still _his _smell.

Duncan spread his arms out along the edge of the sofa, and propped his foot on top of the table, like as if this was his own home.

"Besides, your place is dope. I wouldn't mind staying here for a few hours." He threw a lazy grin her way.

Courtney fumed.

He only wanted to stay here because her place was 'dope'? God, what a pig. She didn't need to be watched over by someone like him. Chances were, _she_ would probably end up being the one watching over _him_.

"I don't need your help," Courtney said coolly. "I can watch myself perfectly fine."

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I'm sure as hell not taking any chances. If something happens to you, all the blame's gonna go on me. And I don't like that. I got enough shit on me."

He crossed his arms. "And besides. I'll feel guilty."

"You can feel guilt?" Courtney asked dryly, raising an eyebrow.

Duncan grinned, his even, white teeth gleaming. "Only when I feel like it, Princess."

Courtney glared ahead at the blank plasma TV in front of her.

She should feel grateful that he was offering to watch over her, but… a couple hours alone with this guy might just drive her crazy.

"And," Duncan said, his tone a little awkward now. Courtney straightened up a little at the tone of his voice.

Did he actually sound… apologetic? She was surprised that a person like Duncan would have the grace to actually be sorry for something.

"Well, I want to say I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier. I was a jerk."

"Damn straight," Courtney huffed, crossing her arms.

Duncan smiled awkward at Courtney.

It caught her off-guard. Sure, she'd seen Duncan smirk and grin. But she never actually saw him smile.

She suddenly felt really odd.

It wasn't because she liked him or anything; God, _no_. But it just was the fact that she was so startled by his sudden friendly grin.

Who knew a guy like him could smile like that?

But his smile soon ebbed away her nagging fear of the criminal. Good for her. Bad for him.

"Look, if you're here to help me or whatever," Courtney said, a new tone of authority in her voice, "Then you might as well do your job."

She smiled sweetly.

"I'd like a cup of chamomile tea, if you don't mind."

Duncan blinked. Then, his lips curled in disdain.

"I'm only here to watch over you, not be your housemaid."

Courtney feigned innocence. "But I'm thirsty. Aren't you supposed to be watching me?"

Her sickly sweet smile was pasted over her lips again.

Duncan eyed her warily.

Courtney stared back, still feigning innocence.

Finally, the dark-haired boy blinked in surrender. But not without a last say.

"Who the hell drinks chamomile tea?" Duncan snorted, standing up at last and wounding his way back into the kitchen.

"The teabags are in the top right hand cupboards," Courtney called to Duncan. "Mugs are the bottom left drawers."

"Yeah, I got it," Duncan said dismally, clinking the mug onto the marble counter.

Courtney leaned forward and grabbed at the remote control on the glass table.

"Hey, you wanna watch a movie?" Courtney asked, flipping on the screen and switching to On Demand.

"Whatever," Duncan said, pouring some hot water into the cup.

"Make some popcorn, too, while you're at it," Courtney called, reclining against her chair. "It's in the cupboard with the cereals."

"Princess, I thought I told you; I ain't your maid," Duncan growled.

"Stop complaining and be a man," Courtney said, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, well," Duncan grumbled, throwing the tea box back into the cupboard with more force than necessary, "It better be a good movie we're watching."

"_You don't come finding love. It comes finding you. That's why it's called falling." - Anonymous_

"We're watching…Sex and the City?" Duncan asked, face aghast.

"Critics say it's one of the best movies out," Courtney said, face alight as the opening scene came.

Duncan gave a groan of disgust. "You cannot be serious."

Courtney resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

There was something about this guy that made her want to roll her eyes every five minutes.

"Can't we watch another movie? Like Tropic Thunder or something?" Duncan asked, crossing his arms. "Watching a chick flick like this really cramps my style."

"Movies like Tropic Thunder are crude and meaningless," Courtney said coolly, tossing a piece of popcorn into her mouth. "You can go read a book or something."

"I don't read, Princess," Duncan sneered.

"I guess it's because you don't know how to, Neanderthal," Courtney replied, smirking slightly.

Duncan gave a scoff and looked away, expression dark.

They were quiet. Courtney watched the TV screen enthusiastically while Duncan propped his arm on the armrest, apparently quite bored.

"Can I at least have a beer, then?" Duncan asked, his tone dull.

Courtney's mouth dropped and she was yanked out of her movie.

"Of course not!" she snapped, looking at the spiky-haired teen. "And besides, my mom would _never _have beer in the house. And alcohol is bad for you. It makes you lose brain cells."

She eyed Duncan.

"Though I can't say your brain can be damaged any more than it already has been."

"You kind of people are so boring," Duncan complained, resting his chin in the cup of his palm.

"Just hush up and let me watch my movie."

Courtney munched on her popcorn, ignoring Duncan's sighs.

Five minutes barely went into the film before Duncan spoke up again, ruining Courtney's experience.

"Okay, that's it," he said, standing up. "I can't watch this kind of stuff. I'm a guy. And guys _don't _watch movies like this."

The screen showed a Sarah Jessica Parker strolling down a sidewalk, arms full of shopping bags. She had a bright smile plastered on her face.

"Then leave," Courtney said, egging him on. "No one's making you stay."

Courtney looked at him with burning eyes. Even though her words told him to leave, her eyes spoke of dangers that could happen the moment he walked out the door. And she would blame it all on him.

Duncan looked down at her, his mouth open slightly.

"Well?" Courtney asked, quirking an eyebrow. "You were about to leave?"

"Man," he sighed, rolling his eyes and falling back into his seat. "I can't leave you like this. I have morals, too, you know."

"Oh? I didn't realize," Courtney said, sipping on her cup of tea.

Duncan plunged his hand into the popcorn bowl and scooped out a handful. He shoved the kernels into his mouth and chomped on it viciously, expression dangerous.

Courtney paused for a moment, mulling her thoughts over.

It really wasn't right of her to do this.

Duncan was staying here out of, though she highly doubted it, the goodness of his heart. And she was abusing it terribly.

If Duncan had morals, she would, too.

"What movie would you like to watch, then?" Courtney sighed, flicking off Sex and the City. She could watch it tonight with her mother.

Courtney pressed the button for other movies out on On Demand.

"You're handing the remote to me, Princess?" Duncan drawled, smiling irrepressibly.

"Just shut up and pick a movie," Courtney snapped, sniffing prissily, tossing the remote into Duncan's outstretched hand.

"Sweet," Duncan said, grinning widely as he scrolled down the list of movies.

He clicked on Tropic Thunder.

"I've been dying to watch this movie the day it came out," said the overly pierced teen, pressing Play. The commercials that aired before the movie began. "Except I was broke and my parents wouldn't lend me any more money."

"What did you use your money on to get so broke you couldn't even buy a movie ticket?" Courtney asked, eyebrows raised.

Duncan gave Courtney a crooked grin, his lips slanted.

"Babe, you got any idea how much coke costs nowadays?" He leaned back in his seat. "And it ain't the soda drink I'm talking about, either."

He gave her a covert smirk.

Courtney scowled. "You spent your money on _drugs_?"

How disgusting.

"Hey," Duncan shrugged, his expression complacent, "Man's gotta have some fun once in a while. It was for a party. I had to chip in somehow."

Courtney rolled her eyes.

Guys like Duncan were what made her believe that men truly were idiots.

"So what was your name again, doll-face?" Duncan asked, clamping his hands behind his head.

"Courtney Mann." Courtney gave a little sniff. "No need to introduce yourself. I know who you are."

"Been paying special attention to me, haven't you?" Duncan asked, his tone flirtatious. A leer grew on his lips and he leaned closer, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

His intoxicating scent was almost overpowering.

Courtney tried her best not to smell it.

The brunette looked away, haughty and proud. "Please, not even. You're so not my type."

"Well, that makes the two of us," Duncan said, leaning back, his arrogant smile still on his lips. "I'm not planning to hook up with a chick like you any time soon."

"I guess then we have a mutual understanding," Courtney said tightly.

Even though she couldn't care less if Duncan liked her or not, it still stung a little that he placed Courtney in the category of un-dateable girls.

She was totally _dateable_.

"I dig chicks like Heather," Duncan continued, speaking of the total self-centered, spoiled brat in their History class. "Feisty girls like her turn me on."

"Do I look like I care what kind of girls you like?" Courtney asked, her tone flat.

"No, but," Duncan rolled his shoulder carelessly, "you might be interested in the future."

Courtney made no effort to hold back her derisive laugh. "Please, as if."

Duncan chuckled.

The movie began and the two of them quit their bickering, eyes on the screen.

An almost companionable silence fell between the two of them, the C.I.T and the delinquent.

And thinking back on it, Courtney realized that that silence was the one thing that changed everything in her life.

_"More can be said in a simple silence than a thousand words." -Anonymous_

Courtney covertly flicked her eyes towards the delinquent. A crazy thought had entered her mind.

Here he was enraptured by the movie, laughing at every single stupid antic thus far.

She didn't even get half the jokes the movie made.

Courtney, unlike Duncan, found nothing interesting in such an unsophisticated movie as this, but decided to humor him since he was watching over her.

She cast him another look.

Duncan was watching the screen avidly, an enthusiastic smile on his lips. He caught Courtney's eyes and grinned crookedly.

Courtney looked away, shaking her head.

What was she thinking?

She and Duncan could never be "friends".

"_The great weakness of most humans is their hesitancy to tell others how much they love them while they're alive." – O.A Battista_

**A/N: I'm kind of stuck in a mental writing block right now, so if any of you guys could help me, it would be great. Here's my problem: I want Duncan to be jealous at some point in the story, and I want a love triangle of some sort between Duncan and Courtney and ??. Problem is, WHO? Should I use an OC character? Or TDI? The problem with an OC character is, the author likes creating the character, but the readers don't really enjoy it because they don't personally know the OC. So, suggestions please! And keep on reviewing people; you make me muchos happy! P.S: Thanks to **person.u.dont.know.duh **for providing me with the quote!**


	4. Not Interested

**Chapter 4: Not Interested.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Total Drama Island or any of its characters. But just know that many DuncanxCourtney shippers out there will be a lot happier if I didxD **

"_Love is not blind- it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less." –Rabbi Julius Gordon_

"Courtney, I'm home," Courtney's mother said, her high heels clicking on the marble of the foyer.

"Mom, I'm in the living room," Courtney called, relieved that her mother was home.

Once they had finished watching Tropic Thunder, Duncan had quickly indulged himself into the Playstation 3 that belonged to Courtney and her older brother, James.

James was, fortunately, at swimming practice at his college right now, so he wouldn't come home for the weekend yet.

Duncan gave a whoop of joy as a man he was talking to on the screen dropped dead, a knife stabbed through his chest.

"Finally!" Duncan said excitedly, "I was wondering when I could kill him!"

Said Neanderthal had spent the last two hours playing the newest Grand Theft Auto game out.

Courtney thought the game was revolting. What was so fun about running over people and buildings?

She didn't know what was so enjoyable about a crude game like this. Her brother had treated the game with such reverence, like as if it was a god or something.

Courtney tossed her hair daintily. Few games attracted Courtney, but whichever one caught her eye was most certainly worth playing.

Her games were _much_ more enjoyable. And much less brain-numbing.

But, Courtney thought regretfully, she owed Duncan, so bravely endured a horrifying two hours of watching pointless killings and car smashing.

Which Duncan seemed to wholly enjoy.

But now, her mother was home to save her.

_Finally_, Duncan could leave.

_"You love when you have to, you're in love when you want to" - wingedfighter_

It didn't occur to Courtney, however, how her mother would react when she would see the 'guest'.

Courtney's mother appeared in the doorway, "Honey, do you want Chinese takeout--" Then she paused mid-sentence.

Her gaze fell on Duncan who was oblivious to the world, smashing the buttons on the controller, his tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth.

Courtney's heart fell as she mentally slapped herself for her idiocy. Of course, after spending almost three excruciating hours with Duncan, Courtney was rather used to his appearance.

Her mother; well, her mother was a different story.

Courtney noticed that her mother's eyes lingered on the jewelry that Duncan had pierced into his ear, eyebrow and nose. And his spiked dog collar. And the green tips of his hair. And his clothing.

Courtney wondered what was running through her mother's mind and instantly regretted it.

"M-Mom," Courtney said weakly, holding up a hand in greeting. "Hello. Um," her voice quavered slightly, "Mom, this is, uh, well, this is Duncan." She gestured at Duncan's back feebly.

"What's up, ma'am?" Duncan asked, not taking his eyes off of the screen.

Gunshots were heard from the TV screen.

The look on her mother's face sent shivers down Courtney's back.

"Duncan!" Courtney hissed, her hands clutching the edge of the sofa. Her eyes frantically flicked from Duncan's back to her mother's increasing look of speechlessness.

God, how could he be so rude in front of her own mother?

"Ah…" her mom's mouth opened slightly, not knowing what to do with the newcomer in the house. Her eyes came to Courtney and fell upon her swollen ankle.

"Honey! What happened to you?" Mrs. Mann said, rushing to her daughter's side, forgetting, for the moment, Duncan.

"It's nothing, Mom. I fell and sprained my ankle. Duncan offered to help me home and stay to watch me until you came," Courtney explained, blinking rapidly as to get out any ideas that might form in her mother's head.

"Oh," Courtney's mother said, biting her lips. She turned to Duncan, who was still playing the game.

"Thank you for taking care of my daughter. That's very kind of you," Mrs. Mann said hesitantly, unsure of whether or not Duncan was even listening.

On the screen, Duncan's figure smashed headlong out of the window and down onto the pavement. Blood oozed from the person.

"Aw, dammit," Duncan hissed, tossing the controllers to the plush white carpet floors.

He turned around and stared at Courtney's mother. "What you say?" he asked a little breathlessly.

Courtney's mother blinked, at a loss for words.

Duncan finally caught up to what Mrs. Mann said. "Oh. Yeah. Sure. It was no big deal."

Courtney resisted the urge to just get off of the sofa and smack Duncan over and over with her remote control. If it weren't for her sprained ankle, Duncan would be dead by now.

The look on her mother's face was so… Well, it just wasn't good.

Duncan leaned over to pick up the controllers again.

"Put. It. _Down_," Courtney ground out through gritted teeth.

Duncan promptly dropped the controllers and put his hands up in surrender.

"Would you like a drink or something?" Courtney's mother asked, her voice an octave higher than usual.

Duncan stretched and shook his spiky head. "No, thanks, Courtney's mom. I'm cool."

He grabbed his backpack from the floor and swung it over his shoulder.

"Well, I leave Courtney in your hands now, ma'am," Duncan said, bowing so politely, it could only be seen as insulting. He smirked at Courtney. "See you tomorrow at school, Princess."

And with that, he disappeared into the foyer.

The door swung close behind Duncan, and a very awkward and uncomfortable silence followed.

Courtney cast a nervous look at her mother.

"Courtney, who was that?" Mrs. Mann said dazedly, falling into the seat beside Courtney that Duncan previously occupied.

She turned to look at Courtney, an odd look in her face. "You guys… aren't dating, are you?"

"Oh, God, Mom," Courtney gasped, face aghast. "You can't be serious. Me, date him? Never!"

She crossed her arms.

Thinking of her and Duncan together sent shivers down her spine. That boy was an absolute horror.

"He's only a classmate, Mom. I fell and sprained my ankle. He saw and offered to walk me home. That's all it was."

"That's sweet of him," Mrs. Mann said doubtfully. "He seems like a, um, decent kid."

"You have nothing to worry about, Mom," Courtney said, determined, "I would never go for a guy like him. Someone like me needs someone much more refined than that Neanderthal."

She smiled, thinking of her knight in shining armor, tall, dark and handsome, with a 4.0 GPA and a promising future. She would find him some day.

"Honey, men don't get much more refined than that now," Mrs. Mann sighed, checking her red nails. "Your father is living proof."

"Ugh. Don't talk about him," Courtney said, rolling her eyes. "We're getting along fine without him."

Mrs. Mann had a wistful look on her face. "I suppose."

"Mom!" the door in the foyer swung open, and college sophomore James stomped in, his hair still damp with water. His duffel bag for the weekend was slung over his shoulder.

The nineteen-year-old had a hint of tears in his low tenor. "Mom! My car has a scratch on it! That stupid branch we passed by… caught it on the side door…"

He looked beseechingly at their mother. "We need to go to the auto shop and fix it!"

Courtney rolled her eyes.

Ever since Mom got him that new sporty Mercedes Benz he's wanted for so long, he's been treating it like as if it was his baby or something.

The last time Courtney accidentally spilled some soda on the seat, her brother had gone wild. He had practically forbidden her to come within a ten-foot radius of the vehicle if she had even a scrap of food on her.

"Oh, honey," Mrs. Mann said, holding out her arms. "Come here. We'll get that scratch fixed. Has college been a bit rough on you?"

"I miss your food, Mom," James buried his head into his mother's chest, his lower lip jutting out.

"Exhibit A," Courtney sighed, slouching over her armrest.

The brunette made a face as her brother pulled her in for a brotherly hug also.

She could only thank God it was Friday.

"_You can't just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood."_

"_What mood is that?"_

"_Last minute panic." –Calvin & Hobbes_

Courtney sat down on the bench in front of her math classroom, pushing her earplugs into her ears.

She turned on her hot pink iPod and clicked on Beethoven's 8th Symphony.

She always went to school twenty minutes early. It was part of her daily ritual.

Courtney liked being early for everything, no matter what the occasion was. She only felt secure when she was early.

Of course, most of the time in the morning, she was alone since none of her friends wanted to get up as early as her. But that was fine.

Courtney liked being alone in the morning. There was rarely anyone else in the school with her; it was like as if she had the whole place to herself.

Except today, Courtney was yanked out of her little world when a little thump informed her that someone had invaded her bench.

"I hate Mondays," the person sighed, his voice grumpy.

Courtney looked to her side and visibly jumped when she realized it was Duncan.

He was wearing black urban skinny jeans today, black Vans high tops, and a moderately tight mustard yellow graphic t-shirt. There was a set of headphones around his neck along with the spiked dog collar. He had a checkered black and white belt through the belt loops of his pants.

There were still ridiculous piercings all over his face, and his scent was all over the air. That citrusy, minty, smoky scent.

But Courtney had another pressing thought on her mind.

What on Earth was he doing sitting next to her?

The delinquent gave Courtney an infuriating smirk.

"Morning, Princess," Duncan drawled, sprawling on the bench, legs wide open.

She could smell his chewing gum and the citrus scent of his aftershave radiate off of him. His faint stubble, however, was still there, shadowing his chin and jaw. "How's your ankle?"

"It's fine," Courtney said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. "Nothing I couldn't handle."

Duncan slung his arm on the edge of the bench, coming close to Courtney's head.

"Good to hear, then," he said absentmindedly, snapping on his gum.

Courtney could practically feel the very heat emanating from the presence of his hand behind her head.

She leaned forward slightly so that there would be no physical contact between him and her.

"What are you doing here so early?" Courtney asked suspiciously, one slim eyebrow raised. "I thought delinquents like you came to school an hour late."

"I like being at school early. Nothing else better to do at home," Duncan said, shrugging.

He smiled slyly at her. "So why do _you_ like being at school early?"

Courtney gave a sniff. "I find it much better when I'm at school earlier. I'm more composed when I go to class, thus, I perform better."

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Don't you ever do something just because it's fun?"

"I read, I study, and I am a C.I.T. Counselor in Training," Courtney stated. "That's all I need to have fun."

"Whoa. Talk about boring," Duncan said, slouching lower in his seat.

He looked lazily out in the distance, expression bored.

"Shut up," Courtney huffed, turning up the volume of her song.

A teacher walked by the two and gave Courtney one of the weirdest look she had ever been given.

Duncan stared back at the teacher, a taunting smile on his pierced lips.

Courtney felt herself shrink in her seat.

It must look so weird, her sitting with the bad-ass boy.

The moment the teacher walked away, Courtney turned to Duncan and hissed, "Why are you sitting here anyway?"

Her eyes narrowed.

Duncan grinned easily and slid his arm around her shoulders. "Why? Can't I hang out with my _friend_?"

His grin changed into a cunning smirk. "As I recall, someone yesterday was telling me they wanted to be my buddy."

He stared down at her in sadistic enjoyment, a maddening expression on his face.

Courtney stared back, mouth agape.

Of course, Duncan didn't do this because he wanted a friend.

He was doing this to annoy her! Just for the fun of it!

"I thought you told me you didn't need friends," Courtney hissed, fists clenched at her sides.

Duncan leaned back in his seat. "Well, I've decided to grace you with my companionship since _you_--" he pointed directly at her, "need to liven up. And I can help you take that stick out of your ass."

He propped his arms behind his head, eyes closed in relaxation.

Courtney's mouth dropped. "I do _not_ have a stick up my ass! I am completely easygoing! And, thank you, but no thank you; I don't want to be 'graced' with your presence!"

Duncan opened one eye. "Huh. Here I thought little C.I.T here wanted to watch over me in exchange for some extra credit."

His lips curved into a taunting smirk, egging Courtney on.

"Yes, well," Courtney sniffed, "Things change. I figured that the extra credit for taking care of you wasn't worth it. You're more trouble than you're worth. You're totally ruining my rep."

Duncan's smirk grew even wider, his eyebrows slanted mockingly. "As what? The uptight, goody-goody-two shoes girl in the class?"

Courtney gave an indignant gasp. "I am _not _uptight!"

"Says you," Duncan replied with a snort.

"I… I'm the most un-uptight person I know!" Courtney exclaimed.

She was _not _uptight. Courtney Mann was NEVER uptight. You could ask anyone.

"Right," Duncan said sarcastically. "Sure."

He plucked an earplug out of her ear and popped it into his own, ignoring Courtney's protest.

He made a face as he realized he was listening to Beethoven. "Even your music is uptight, Princess."

He tossed it out of his ear like as if it had a virus. "Who the hell listens to this anymore? This guy's been dead for centuries, and so is his music."

His tone was so lofty, it almost made even Courtney feel embarrassed.

Almost.

"Whatever," Courtney said disdainfully, yanking the cord out of Duncan's hand. "You have no appreciation for beautiful, classical music. You're not sophisticated enough to."

Duncan cocked his head, expression arrogant. "You wanna hear real music, Princess?" he asked, tugging his own black iPod out of his pocket. "I'll show you the true appreciation of music."

Duncan's black iPod was battered and had scratches all over it, much like the delinquent's personality.

Courtney's own pink Ipod was pristine and scratch-free.

"No, thanks," Courtney said haughtily, tossing back her shoulder-length fawn-colored hair. "I'd rather not listen to…" she eyed Duncan critically, "_your_ kind of music."

"Your loss, babe," Duncan shrugged, putting on his own black headphones.

Faint rock music wafted out of the headphones. Courtney winced, thinking about how loud the music was.

"I thought I told you not to call me babe," Courtney muttered, annoyed.

"I thought I already told you I don't care," Duncan replied easily, that smug smile still on his lips.

She was amazed that he could even hear her through the deafening music.

The dark teen made an odd clacking sound against his teeth in beat to the horrid song he was listening to.

"What was that?" Courtney asked, unable to help herself. She was curious.

Duncan eyed her through half-lidded eyes. "What was what?"

"That sound."

Duncan gave a languid grin. "You mean this?" He made the odd sound again.

Courtney nodded.

Duncan then stuck out his tongue, slouching back in his seat.

At first, Courtney thought he was making fun of her, but then she realized that he was waiting for her to notice something.

Courtney was revolted, but found her gaze dropping to his tongue all the same.

Near the tip of his pink tongue was a small gleaming silver stud, bulging and bright.

"God," Courtney said, rolling her eyes. "Isn't there a part of your body that _isn't _pierced?"

Duncan grinned, his eyes lighting up. He slid the headphones off of his head.

Suddenly, Courtney regretted that she even said it.

"Well, there is," Duncan said, his eyes traveling down to his pants. He looked up at her through his dark lashes, his expression seductive. "Would you like to see it?"

Courtney's mouth dropped open and she promptly placed her bag between him.

"You are a _pig_," she spat, crossing her arms and legs, expression determined. "A disgusting, perverted pig."

Duncan looked at Courtney over the totebag, his eyebrow raised in question. "You think a simple totebag is gonna stop me?"

Courtney felt herself flush at his gaze. "Why are you doing this?" she asked, irate. "Leave me alone! Go find some other over-hormonal girl to bother!"

They would be more than happy to let Duncan tease and flirt with them.

For some odd reason, all the girls in Courtney's classes were absolutely gushing over the delinquent. They said his badass-ness was hot. Apparently, danger turned them on.

Well, they were right about one thing, Courtney thought, eyeing Duncan who was grinning at her over the totebag. Duncan was dangerous.

He had danger written _all _over him.

And Courtney was not meant for danger.

"But you're fun to bother," Duncan said mischievously, propping his arms on the bench. "Other girls are no fun."

"Yeah, well," Courtney said nastily, "I don't like being bothered by you. So leave."

Duncan made a face. "Ooh, harsh." An easy grin loped along his pale face.

God, would he ever stop doing that stupid smirk? It made her want to smash her fist in his face.

"How do you expect to get a boyfriend if you act so uptight all the time?" Duncan asked, leaning back in his seat.

"_I _don't need a boyfriend to rely on like other girls," Courtney said, tossing back her hair. "I have better things to waste my time on than stupid boys."

"Well. Have a nice life, then," Duncan said mockingly, eyes still half-lidded in apparent boredom.

There was something about the tone of his voice, flat and sardonic, that irked Courtney so.

"And I'm sure you'll have a nice life in jail," Courtney replied coolly, shutting her iPod down.

Beethoven didn't seem so appealing at the moment.

Courtney stood up, expression arrogant.

"Where you going, doll face?" Duncan asked, smiling lightly as he looked up at her.

"Away from you," Courtney huffed, swinging her totebag over her shoulder and stalking off into her Bio classroom.

"Whatever," Duncan scoffed, propping headphones back over his head.

Being alone with the perverted Mr. Butler was better than sitting around outside with that Neanderthal any day.

"_Love is like a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come." –Matt Groening_

**A/N: Okay, this chapter's longer than all the other ones before because I felt like itxD Soooo, read and REVIEW, please! I love reading your ideas(: And if you have any cute quotes you wanna share, I'll gladly put it into my story or incorporate it in somehow. It doesn't have to be specifically about love. As long as it's funny/creative/cute/etc, share it with me:D Thanks for reading!**

**P.S: this is one of those blooming love stories, so if it's going a little bit too slow for you, i'm sorryxD anyway, the time that passed by in this story is only a week, so of course, romance between the two would take a little bit more time. **


	5. Order & Chaos

**Chapter 5: Order & Chaos**

**Disclaimer: TDI ain't mine. **

**A/N: Thanks for all your reviews! If you have any quotes you'd like to share or have in this story, please feel free(: All of your reviews/comments make me feel very fuzzy inside, and inspires me to write more and better! If you have any cute moments you think should be shared between Duncan and Courtney, tell me! :D **

"_Gravity. It keeps you rooted to the ground. In space, there's not any gravity. You just kind of leave your feet and go floating around. Is that what being in love is like?" –Josh Brand and John Falsey_

"Courtney, I, like, saw you today," Lindsey said, smiling widely, twirling her golden hair between her fingers.

"That's nice," Courtney said uninterestedly, writing down answers for her history assignment.

Lindsey checked over her bubble pink nails. "I saw you and that super hot guy from History sitting together."

Courtney dropped her pencil.

Lindsey had the biggest mouth in all of school. If she spread rumors about her and Duncan sitting together…

Courtney blanched.

Lindsey wasn't the type of person to spread rumors, but her best friend, Heather, was.

Heather would twist any innocent story into some sick little gossip.

"Did you tell anyone?" Courtney asked, raising an eyebrow.

Lindsey shook her head, beaming. "No, of course not!" She sighed. "Duncan is, like, sooo cute. I think danger is sooo sexy."

She gave a giggle.

"I wanted to come over and ask for to help me with, like, History, but like, you and Duncan looked sooo cute together, I didn't want to bother you!"

Courtney gritted her teeth together.

She whirled over to Lindsey, pointing her mechanical pencil straight at the blonde's face.

"Don't you tell _anyone _that you saw me and Duncan together, okay?" Courtney ground out.

Lindsey nodded furiously. "Of course not!"

She smiled sweetly. "It's our secret."

Courtney rolled her eyes.

"I'll, like, never talk about it ever again!" Lindsey said assuredly, flipping back her hair. "Oh my gosh, that's so romantic, you and Duncan being like a secret couple!"

Courtney let out a little groan of frustration. "Lindsey, nothing's going on with me and that pathetic excuse of a human being!"

Lindsey nodded, smiling secretively. _"Ri--ght."_ She zipped her lips shut. "Hee, your secret's safe with me!"

She made a huge wink, her rosy mouth set in a wide grin.

Courtney dropped her head on the table, giving up entirely.

Talking to Lindsey was like talking to a wall.

_"Could you imagine how horrible things would be if we always told each other how we felt? Life would be intolerably bearable." – Randy K. Millholland_

Courtney propped her chin on her desk, listening intently to Mr. Devlin's explanation on the war of 1812.

This is too easy, she thought to herself, working ahead on her essay.

Then, she felt a little thump on the back of her head.

Courtney's hands flew up to the back of her head, and felt a piece of paper lodged within her locks.

She yanked it out and stared at it.

It was a gum wrapper, crumpled into a ball.

Courtney turned around and searched for the culprit. Her gaze immediately landed on Duncan.

He grinned lazily at her, his feet propped on the desk, chair tilted.

Courtney glared at him and mouthed, "Leave me alone!"

Duncan merely smirked his stupid smirk and rolled his eyes.

She promptly turned around, lips pursed.

God, what an idiot.

"_There can be no order without chaos." –Mandy from Billy & Mandy_

The moment class let out, though, Mr. Devlin caught Courtney's eye and smiled encouragingly, tilting his head slightly in Duncan's direction.

Courtney caught his green spikes above the crowd and gave a sigh.

Mr. Devlin was such a great teacher. She would hate to disappoint him.

And there was that extra credit, Courtney thought to herself.

Courtney turned to Bridgette and Gwen. "Sorry, guys. I have something… important to do today. I'll catch up with you after school."

"Sure," Gwen said, smirking. "Have fun with your boy."

"What?" Courtney gasped, looking from Bridgette to Gwen. Both of them were beaming.

"I think it's great you finally found someone, Court'," Bridgette said, laying a hand on Courtney's shoulder.

She made a little fist, "Go get him!"

Courtney stared after her two friends as they left the classroom, laughing with each other.

Did they… know about her and Duncan?

Oh, great. Just _great._

"_The best feelings are those that have no words to describe them." –Michelle Hammersley_

Courtney stomped out into the quad, looking for Duncan. She was in a foul mood.

She did not want to look for Duncan; she didn't even want to be near him! And her two stupid best friends supposedly thought that she and him actually had a thing.

A _thing_!

Courtney sighed.

But the fact of the matter was, she had given Mr. Devlin a promise.

And Courtney Mann never broke a promise.

Besides. If she told Mr. Devlin that she didn't want to watch over Duncan anymore, he would think she wasn't able to handle him.

And that was most certainly not true. Courtney could handle anything. Even Duncan.

It was just… him being such an idiot made her a little… tired. That's all.

Courtney gave another little sigh. She'd been doing that a lot lately since she's met Duncan.

How did that saying go again? Every time you sighed, you blew a bit of happiness away?

Something like that.

Courtney fumed silently to herself.

If she had to traipse about the whole school like this every day, just to look for the delinquent… She figured it might be better to just catch him immediately when class let out and keep him by her side.

Until he converted and became a better person.

Which was highly unlikely.

But as long as she tried, there was nothing wrong about it.

Courtney cursed the school for being so big.

What did it take to find someone in this place?

Courtney stumbled down the less traveled parts of the school, hoping to find Duncan there.

He always lurked in the places that were less inhabited.

Courtney daintily picked her way over a rock, going on tiptoe in fear that she would get her brand new Prada flats dirty from the dust.

So far, she didn't see anyone that resembled Duncan at all.

But then, like as if right on cue, she saw him. He rounded the corner of the building, completely oblivious to Courtney. He was completely engrossed in inspecting the walls.

Why on earth was he looking over the walls?

Unless…

Courtney's mouth opened slightly with realization.

Duncan grabbed an object out of his back pocket, spinning it into the air and deftly catching it. Courtney immediately recognized it as a spray paint can.

He _wouldn't_, Courtney growled inwardly. He wouldn't dare!

The delinquent grinned easily to himself, slowly holding the can up to the wall, finger poised on the button--

Courtney's eyes widened and her reflexes came into action.

"No!"

"_Flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss." –Douglas Adams_

Courtney took a running leap and smashed headlong into Duncan, knocking him sideways.

He gave a little grunt, the can flying out of his hands before he could let loose the paint.

"What is the matter with you?" Courtney snapped, glaring down at Duncan, who was, at the moment, pinned beneath her. "Do you always feel the need to cause trouble?"

Courtney sat up, breathing heavily. She was sitting on Duncan's abdomen, her legs straddling either side of his body. But she was too angry to even realize the awkward position they were in.

Duncan didn't reply. He stared back up at her, blinking slowly.

A stealthy smile was on his lips.

Courtney felt her blood boil. "Don't smile at me like that!" she screeched, bouncing on his stomach slightly.

It made her absolutely _furious _that nothing she said affected Duncan in the slightest.

Duncan's smile grew even wider, his eyes fixated on something by Courtney's neck area.

Well, at least, she _thought _it was her neck area.

"Why, Princess, if you wanted to be on top so bad, you just had to tell me," he drawled, propping his hands behind his head in a relaxed position. "Do with me what you will."

Courtney's mouth dropped open as it finally registered to her that she and him were both in a very suggestive position.

"Ew!" she groaned, quickly rolling off of his body. "_Ew_!"

Duncan sat up, smirking. "Well, at least I enjoyed this."

Courtney shot the delinquent an extremely dirty look. She stood up, brushing the dust off of her jeans and the front of her crisp polo shirt.

The brunette leaned over and picked up the bottle of spray paint. She held it up accusingly at Duncan, who was still on the ground, arms propping him up.

He was watching her with a vague interest.

"What were you planning to do with this?" she snarled, shaking the bottle slightly.

Duncan shrugged. "I was gonna make the school more colorful."

He looked away, expression bored.

"Duncan, do you want to get kicked out of school?" Courtney hissed, tossing the bottle into the trashcan. "After your uncle worked so hard to get you in?"

Duncan's eyes flitted to Courtney's. "Well, Princess, the question is: do _you _want me kicked out of the school?"

He flashed a grin her way.

Courtney blinked. Then, she tossed back her hair.

"More than anything," she said, sniffing haughtily. "But the fact of the matter is, I promised your uncle that I would keep you out of trouble. And I'm planning to follow through with that promise, no matter how much I hate it."

Duncan ran his hand through his black and green spikes. "Princess got morals."

He stood up, stretching. He winced. "Damn. For a small girl, you hit like a man."

"Thank you," Courtney said stiffly, picking up her totebag and slinging it over her shoulder.

She looked at Duncan expectantly for a few moments. He stared back, an eyebrow raised.

After realizing that he wouldn't apologize for his behavior any time soon, Courtney gave a huge sigh and decided to take the initiative.

"Look," Courtney rubbed her temples tiredly, "can you please not do any bad things for a while? I'd like to keep you out of juvie as long as possible."

Duncan gave her a grin as he loped along to his backpack, lying forlorn in the grass. "I didn't know you cared."

"I don't," Courtney replied, green eyes narrowed. "But I promised your uncle. And I _always_ keep my promises."

Duncan ran a hand through his hair.

"Look, what else do you expect me to do in my free time, Princess?" Duncan asked, his tone flat. "Doing shit like this has become a part of who I am." He gave a shrug. "What can I say?"

Courtney realized that Duncan was serious. This wasn't one of his stupid jokes.

And when someone was serious, Courtney was always willing to lend a helping hand.

Courtney tucked her hair behind her ears. "Well, that's why I'm here."

She offered Duncan a small smile. "I guess we should call a truce?"

Duncan stared at her, an eyebrow raised in suspicion.

Courtney held out her hand, expression firm.

Duncan's gaze dropped to her outstretched hand. Then, he shrugged, taking her hand in his.

A slight tingle traveled up Courtney's arm the moment Duncan's hand clasped hers. But she ignored it. It was probably because his touch revolted her.

Probably.

Hopefully.

It _had_ to be that.

Duncan crossed his arms as he stared down at her. "What are you planning to do now?" he asked, his tone taunting.

"I'm just here to watch over you," Courtney replied, a sulky expression on her face. "That's all _I _plan to do."

Duncan gave a derisive scoff. "Ha. Good luck then, Princess."

He shot her a devious grin. "No one can watch over me. Hell, even my parole officers have a hard time keeping watch over me."

Courtney blinked. "Parole officers? You have _parole officers?"_

How dangerous was this guy?

"Babe, when you've been in juvie as many times as I've been, the officers kinda grow on you."

Duncan leaned against the wall he was planning to vandalize.

"They can't keep away from me for long," he added lightheartedly.

"Look, I'm serious, okay?" Courtney said flatly, crossing her arms. She glowered at the delinquent through her eyelashes.

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Aren't you always?"

"Please stay out of trouble for my sake and yours. Mr. Devlin expects me to keep you out of trouble."

She paused, biting her lips worriedly. "And I would really like the extra credit. It would look great on my college application if I got an A+ in History."

Duncan gave a little snort.

Courtney looked up at him, eyes burning.

He stared into her eyes for a moment, apparently caught off-guard. His mouth was open slightly.

"Please?" Courtney asked, struggling to keep the look in her eyes.

Whatever she was doing right now, it was working. Duncan seemed to be torn between two decisions.

The rebel then clamped his mouth shut and looked away, lips pursed.

"Fine," he said grumpily, throwing up his hands. "I'll try and not get into so much trouble, okay? You happy now?"

"Quite," she answered dryly.

She started walking down the track back towards the quad, her arms crossed tightly across her chest.

Duncan wordlessly trailed behind her, hands in his pocket.

"As I said, Princess, what's the next course of action?" Duncan asked, his tone sarcastic. "Are we gonna join some good will club or whatever? Give food to the homeless? Donate blood?"

"That's a pretty good idea, actually," Courtney mused.

"_What?_" Duncan spluttered. "I was just joking around!"

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine, so maybe we don't have to donate blood or whatever." She smirked. "Baby steps, then. How about a club? We could join one together."

The club would help her academically and make watching over Duncan a lot easier.

And besides, once Mr. Devlin hears that Courtney got Duncan into an academic club, he'd be so proud of her!

And there was a good chance he'd throw in some more extra credit.

Was it possible to get an A+?

"A club?" Duncan repeated, disgust apparent in his voice. "Are you freakin' serious?"

"Yes," Courtney replied, checking the Gucci watch she had clasped over her wrist. Lunch would be over in about fifteen minutes. "I think you should join Interact. It'll look really good on your application for college."

"Well, it depends," Duncan said, musing.

Courtney glanced at him through narrowed eyes. "On what?"

"Are _you _joining it?" the delinquent asked, leaning closer to the brunette, eyebrows wiggling flirtatiously.

The same stupid grin was playing along his mouth.

"Ugh, get away from me," Courtney said, pushing her arms against Duncan's chest slightly.

She crossed her arms, chin high. "Of course I'm joining. Well, I'm already filled with C.I.T sessions, violin class, Leadership, volunteer tutoring and tennis club, but I hear Interact is really good for you. I can fit in another club."

Duncan seemed a little stunned at the list of clubs and activities Courtney was in, but he quickly shook off his expression and his grin quickly found its way onto his lips again.

"Well, if you're in," he threw an arm around Courtney's shoulders, "Then I'm in, babe."

Courtney swatted off Duncan's hand. "Get your hands off of me, you Neanderthal."

"Whatever," Duncan scoffed, crossing his arms and looking away, "You know you liked it."

Courtney narrowed her eyes. "In your dreams, cretin."

Duncan smirked. "Don't flatter yourself." He gave a sniff similar to the one Courtney always handed out. "I have better things to dream about than you."

Courtney bristled.

"You are _so_ boorish," she spat.

"Part of the package, babe," Duncan replied, that infuriating grin plastered on his face.

"Along with crude, horrible and disgusting," Courtney shot back.

Duncan's teal eyes gleamed in the sun. "You forgot charmingly roguish and charismatic," he answered, grinning.

Courtney made a face. "Ew. I didn't."

They continued down the concrete towards their next class, which, unfortunately, they had together.

"Says you," Duncan scoffed. "Girls think I'm hot."

Courtney rolled her brown eyes. "Haven't you noticed they all have an IQ less than ten?"

"And haven't you noticed they're all hot?" Duncan responded, that teasing tone back in his voice.

Courtney felt her blood boil. "Then why don't you go flirt with them instead of hanging around in the back of the school, vandalizing everything?"

Why did he make things _so_ hard for her?

"Uh, cause it's so much more worthwhile screwing up the school," Duncan said, rolling his eyes. "Gotta mark my territory, dollface. After that, we can talk about making friends."

Courtney whirled around to Duncan.

"You aren't 'marking your territory' anywhere," she said, eyes flashing dangerously as she jabbed her finger into his chest. "You are going to find friends tomorrow, and that's _final_!"

Duncan stared down at her, eyebrows raised sardonically.

"Yo, Duncan," a tall African-American boy that Courtney recognized as DJ from Bio class said, passing by.

He grinned at Courtney, straight, even teeth shining in the sun. "What's up, Courtney?"

Geoff, a popular, Abercrombie & Fitch guy from Courtney's P.E class was walking alongside DJ.

He smiled amiably at Courtney, tipping off his cowboy hat at her.

She waved back at the two boys, smiling.

Geoff and DJ were some of the few male species that Courtney actually found worthwhile.

Geoff nodded at Duncan. "Duncan, man. You comin' to Trent's party Saturday?"

Duncan tossed his chin in Geoff's direction, that flat expression still on his face despite of the smile.

"I'll be there."

"Cool, man," Geoff said, giving a thumbs up.

"You comin', Courtney? Trent invited you, too," DJ said, turning his attention towards Courtney.

Courtney made a face. "Tell him thanks, but no thanks. I don't do parties," she said firmly.

If she wanted to run for office someday, she would not allow people to bring up a picture of her at a party.

A party person was _not_ suitable for office.

"Uptight," Duncan sang under his breath.

Courtney shot him a dirty look.

"So, my main man," Duncan said, shifting his hands easily into his pockets. "There gonna be beer at this party of Trent's?"

Courtney's mouth opened. Beer?

There was gonna be _beer_?

"I got five kegs of the best wired through my college buddy," Geoff said, tilting his cowboy hat. He looked rather proud of himself.

"Sweet," Duncan chuckled, exchanging knuckles with the blonde-haired boy.

"Hey, I just realized," DJ spoke up, staring oddly at Courtney.

Courtney stared back, confused. "What?"

"Why's a girl like you hanging out with Duncan?" the boy asked, scratching his head.

Courtney blushed.

"Oh, yeah!" Geoff laughed, his eyes widening in comprehension. "I _knew _something seemed wrong!"

He exchanged a knowing look with Duncan. "I didn't know you went for girls like her."

He nudged at Duncan playfully.

Courtney bit her lips, glaring at the two men. She felt murderous with each passing sentence.

Duncan smirked. "I didn't come to her. She just follows me around everywhere."

He leaned closer to Geoff and said smugly, that cocky smirk on his lips, "Girl can't keep her hands off of me."

"_Duncan!"_ Courtney grabbed the rebel's collar and yanked him down to her level.

"You say another word and I will personally make sure that you will feel _pain_," she growled dangerously, knee poised by his crotch.

Duncan gulped. Along with Geoff and DJ.

"Okay, boys," Courtney said, firmly pushing Duncan away from the two boys, "It was nice talking to you, but Duncan and I have to go to class. And we don't wanna be late."

"See you Saturday, Duncan!" DJ called after the two, waving. "Bye, Courtney!"

"Yeah, dude, see you! And see you later in P.E, Court'!"

Courtney bit her lips.

Mr. Devlin only wanted her to watch over Duncan on school premises, right?

So him going to this party really wasn't any of her concern. What he did at school was hers to deal with, but outside of it was completely beside the point.

"Do you ever go to parties, Princess?" Duncan asked, sounding curious.

Courtney shook her head. "Never."

"Cause your parents don't let you?"

"No," Courtney narrowed her eyes. "I don't want to go to parties."

"Geez. Talk about uptight," Duncan said, crossing his arms. "You seriously need to get out and live."

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, a scheming look dawning over his expression. "You know, I could sneak you out the house, show you what some real fun is."

Courtney made a face. "No, thank you. And besides, I--" Then, she stopped, her mouth forming into a little O.

She looked at Duncan, a smile lighting up her face.

"Duncan!" she said excitedly, bouncing on her heels, "You got invited to a party!"

Duncan stared at her, eyebrows raised. "Uh, yeah? I thought we already discussed that."

"I didn't even realize until now!" the brunette continued, that bright smile still on her face. "I mean, since you got invited to a party, I guess that _must_ mean you have friends already! Geoff and DJ seem to really like you, and Trent invited you to his party," she turned to an unnerved Duncan, stuck on her little rant now. "And that means that I can ask them to help me keep an eye out for you! Which means I have more time to myself!"

Duncan frowned. "And how is that a good thing?"

"For me, it's a _great _thing!" Courtney retorted. "That means I don't have to spend all of my free time at school worrying about what you're doing and--"

"Aw," Duncan said, a grin playing on his lips, "You worry about me?"

"No," the C.I.T replied, expression furious. "Why should I worry about someone as irresponsible and crude as you?"

"Cause you dig me," Duncan answered, smirking.

Courtney felt a blush crawl up her face, but she quickly forced them down. "As if."

She went ahead of him and strode through class, her terrifying demeanor making almost everyone cringe.

Courtney threw her totebag on the floor and plopped herself into her seat. She glared at the door, waiting for Duncan to come through and take his seat behind her.

But he never did.

Courtney blinked.

She glanced at the clock. There was about three more minutes till the bell rang.

She waited a few more moments, but the green-haired delinquent didn't show up. She got out of her seat, curious, and opened the classroom door.

Duncan was nowhere in sight. The whole entire quad was empty except for a few straggling students hurrying to class.

A feeling of dread filled Courtney.

"Oh, crap," Courtney moaned, smacking her head. How could she be so stupid?

Duncan would ditch class the first chance he got!

Great. Barely the first week of school here, and already Duncan had skipped class!

What would Mr. Devlin say if he found out?

Courtney bit her lips, heart failing at the thought of poor Mr. Devlin's face falling when he would hear that Duncan had missed class. Unexcused.

Well, he _wouldn't_.

She was going to find that Duncan, slap him, and then drag him back to class.

She'd rather he be late than ditch.

A lie quickly formed in Courtney's mind.

"Um, excuse me, Ms. Barnes," Courtney said, coming up to the fawn-haired teacher at the desk. "I left my textbook out in the fields. Can I go get it?"

Courtney felt a slight twinge at lying to her nice teacher, but she had to do it.

"Of course, Courtney," said Ms. Barnes, smiling up at the brunette. "You better hurry up and check to see if it's still there."

"Thank you," Courtney said, hurrying out the door and into the quad, looking for the rebel.

When she found him, she was gonna kick his ass.

"_Life's disappointments are harder to take when you don't know any swear words." –Calvin & Hobbes_

**A/N: Whew, this was a long chapterxD Okay, so, what do you think? We're finally seeing a little bit of progress between Princess and Duncan now! XD Courtney is still in her denial mode thus far. You know how she rolled in TDI. So, Read & Review, please! Reading your comments makes me wanna keep on updating! And send in quotes cause I'm running out of them! :O And don't worry! Something major is gonna happen between Duncan and Courtney sooner or later. -- **

**P.S: Special shout out to PMSSS, PenInfatuation, janey1097, and Jazzy-Chan for giving reviews that made me all fuzzy inside(: You guys inspire me to do better! Hearts to every single one of you readers out there who reviewed! 3**


	6. Come With Me and Let's Party

**Chapter 6: Come With Me and Let's Party.**

**A/N: We finally get to go inside Duncan's head for a short time! And this is the beginning of the turning point in Duncan and Court's relationship! Enjoy and Review!**

"_When life gives you lemons, throw them at people to help your anger management problems." -Anonymous_

Duncan lounged on the benches near the back of the school, a cigarette lodged between his lips.

That Courtney girl was fun to tease, and watching her get pissed off was really entertaining. But seriously. Ms. Barnes creased him. And he didn't like that.

That was Duncan's philosophy. Whatever he didn't like, he didn't take.

Life only comes once. Take what you want to take and throw out what you don't.

He inhaled the drug and puffed out a cloud of smoke.

He hated this school. Everything was so… in order.

Duncan liked chaos. Chaos was his middle name, after all.

Back in his old school, he and his group of friends would skip classes all the time and go smoke pot and weed by the dumpsters.

Sometimes, they would climb to the rooftops and just chill, or go and mark their territory with spray paint. By the end of the year, there was not one wall that had not been marked with Duncan's insignia of a skull.

Not like that was a scandal or anything.

_Everyone _in his old school was a bad ass. Except Duncan was the king of them. Even with their bad reputation, Duncan's school couldn't handle him after that last little joke he did.

So what if he did flood the lower half of the school with toilet water?

The toilet water cleaned up the dirty floors even better than the janitors. The school should've been grateful for that. It was a hell of a sight to see students and teachers yell in disgust as they stepped into a foot of dirty toilet water with God knows what floating around in it.

The rebel gave a chuckle. It took the school nearly a week to clear all that crap out. All the students had to stay home in the meantime.

Man, he was a hero that week.

But the teen soon sobered up as reality hit him.

He wasn't at his old school anymore.

Duncan gave a sigh, running a hand through his spikes.

But, then again, ruining a perfect and orderly school might be even funner.

And Duncan _did_ like to make a big impression.

He took another whiff of his smoke, the sharp taste of it stinging his throat.

Now, if only little C.I.T Princess would just leave him be for one day so that he could go about ransacking the place…

Of course, Duncan didn't mind Courtney bothering him at every moment.

In fact, he thought it was kinda hot the way that she worried over his every little move and treated him like as if he was a ticking bomb.

It was also very hot when she was sitting on top of him today, all angry and crap. He also got a very nice view of her boobs jiggling underneath her tight shirt when she bounced angrily on his chest.

Princess had a nice rack. That was one thing Duncan looked for in a girl.

But it wasn't just because of her anatomy that had Duncan intrigued.

Courtney was different than those girls that Duncan always associated himself with back at his other school. Those other girls who always got into bitch fights and reeked of smoke and pot.

Princess was _much_ more different. And Duncan found himself a little relieved with the change. Despite her snobby attitude, she was pretty fun to hang around. At times.

And it would be so fun to corrupt her pristine little mind.

Duncan smiled sadistically as thoughts ran through his head.

Yeah, he was twisted.

At least he admitted to it.

Duncan was about to suck in the last breath of his cigarette when a low, animalistic growl pricked his ears.

He straightened up, slightly alarmed.

The rebel saw a figure in the very corner of his vision, and he turned his head slightly to see who it was.

Big mistake.

A pinecone came hurling at him, hitting the boy square in the forehead. The cigarette flew out of his mouth.

"_Think about a woman. Doesn't know you're thinking about her. Doesn't care you're thinking about her. Makes you think about her even more." –Martin Sage and Sybil Adelman_

Duncan keeled over, groaning, his hand clutching the throbbing bump.

"I can't _believe _you!" a voice shouted, "The moment I turn my back, you run and ditch class! You are the most despicable person I have ever had the misfortune to meet!"

Duncan's vision focused in and out. "Princess?" he mumbled, not really sure of anything at the moment. "S'that you?"

Duncan bleakly looked up, a feeling of sudden dread filled his stomach at the thought of the C.I.T.

A tiny part of him dared to hope that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't Courtney.

The delinquent stared into the furious green eyes of no one else other than, yes, Princess.

Oh, _shit._

"You," hissed Courtney, "are the bane of my existence!"

Duncan rubbed his face and glared at the brunette, his senses returning to him.

"The what of your what?" he asked in disbelief, aqua-green eyes narrowed.

Seriously. Who the hell talked like that?

"This is no time to be stupid, Duncan!" the C.I.T snapped, yanking Duncan up by his arm and thrusting his backpack into his chest.

"Chill, Princess, what's the deal?" Duncan mumbled drunkenly, the sudden pull causing bright spots to erupt in behind his eyelids.

"_What's the big deal_?" Courtney repeated, sounding absolutely demented now. "I had to _lie _to the teacher! Lie!"

"Ooh, now you're going to hell for sure," Duncan muttered sarcastically, swinging his backpack over his shoulders.

The petite girl glowered at him, lips pursed.

Duncan grinned, feeling not the least guilty that he had made her lie to the teacher.

In fact, he was rather flattered that she would run back and get him.

"Aw, come on," Duncan said playfully, pushing up the corners of her mouth into what looked like a very pained smile. "Lighten up."

Courtney's eyes narrowed into slits, the freckles dotting her nose showing prominently.

Damn, that's cute.

"I am not joking around, Duncan," Courtney said through gritted teeth, pushing away Duncan's hand.

Well, what he was going through at the moment was no joking matter either.

Unfortunately for Princess, Duncan found that he was getting turned on more and more the angrier Courtney got.

Pretty soon, he might just do something rash.

Well, then again, Duncan mused, didn't he always do something rash?

Courtney's gaze trailed to the lone cigarette on the floor. She stomped on it like as if it had done her a personal wrong.

"I thought I told you not to smoke that crap anymore!" she said crossly, eyes ablaze.

Duncan grinned effortlessly, not the least bit frightened.

Had he mentioned that seeing Courtney pissed turned him on?

"Ooh, mad, are we?" Duncan chuckled, egging the brunette on.

She grabbed the sleeve of his shirt. "Shut up and get to class." She pulled him down the track back towards their class.

Duncan obliged.

She scowled at him over her shoulder. "And if you try to ditch class again, I'll castrate you with a pair of scissors."

Duncan stared at the C.I.T, not sure whether she was joking or not.

Better to be on the safe side.

Duncan allowed himself to be dragged along down the track, thoughts running through his head.

Courtney was pretty demanding.

Duncan looked down at the C.I.T, a smirk growing across his pale face. He liked that in a woman.

But she also hit very hard. And had extremely good aim. _That _was not good.

Duncan poked at his temple and winced as a dulling pain pierced his flesh.

For a small girl, Princess got a lot of ammo in her arm. Who knew that girl could pack such a punch?

Duncan rubbed the growing bump tenderly. "You didn't have to throw a freakin' pinecone at me, though. That hurt." He crossed his arms grumpily.

Man, how the hell was he supposed to explain to the guys tomorrow how he got the nasty bruise on his forehead? That Courtney threw a freakin' pinecone at him?

_Hell, no._

Courtney didn't even seem remorseful. "You deserved it."

She then heaved a sigh.

"Watching you is a pain in the arse, Duncan."

Duncan frowned, watching the brown-haired girl lower her head in defeat.

Now, that wouldn't do. He couldn't let Princess give up yet.

Then, an idea came into Duncan's head.

"Princess, I've got a preposition for you," Duncan declared, swinging an arm over Courtney's shoulder.

Courtney looked at him warily. "What?" She daintily brushed off Duncan's hand.

"I personally assure you that I will not be ditching any classes," Courtney's face lit up, "on one condition."

Her face fell.

She looked up at him, eyes wary. "What?"

Duncan smiled triumphantly. "If you'll go to Trent's party with me."

Courtney's mouth dropped open. _"What?"_

"Come with me to Trent's party," he repeated.

Courtney blinked, then squinted her eyes in bewilderment. "_What?_"

Duncan rolled his eyes. "You heard me."

"Duncan," Courtney gave a little derisive scoff, "You cannot be serious."

"I'm dead serious, babe."

"No," Courtney said, shaking her head. "No, no, no, no, no."

Duncan raised an eyebrow.

He loved a challenge.

"Fine, then," he said casually, brushing his nails across his shirt. "I guess that every day will be a pain in the ass." He smiled deviously. "Cause, you see, Princess, I really don't plan on going to classes like this all the time. Unless…"

Courtney's cat-green eyes hardened.

"I get something in return," he finished easily, rolling his shoulders back. "For all my hard work."

He nudged her, a wheedling tone entering. "Come on. I deserve a little present, don't I?"

Courtney's mouth opened slightly.

Duncan's eyes drew irresistibly to her soft, pink lips, swollen and parted.

Damn. What wouldn't he give to get a taste of those?

The girls back at his school didn't have lips like that. Their lips were chapped and dry from smoke and drugs, and others were smothered with lip-gloss.

Lip-gloss looked good on a girl, but it wasn't such a good thing if you were making out with them. Duncan would always end up with sparkly lip-gloss smeared all across his lips and cheeks.

"Duncan, don't you want something else?" Courtney asked weakly, fidgeting.

Duncan shook his head. "Nope."

Maybe a kiss could do just as well, a part of Duncan said hopefully.

But Courtney would probably kick him in the balls for saying that.

"I'll do your homework for a month," Courtney bribed, dropping to a new low.

Still, he refused. "Not interested."

Nothing would be as fun as taking Courtney to a party. He could already see all the things that would happen during a crazy party.

He vaguely wondered what Courtney would be like smashed.

_That _would be fun to see.

Courtney bit her lips, looking like as if she was torn between two decisions.

Duncan gave a sigh. "It's just one party, Princess. It's not like it's the end of the world."

Courtney glowered at the delinquent. "Fine," she bit out.

Duncan's face brightened up and he grinned, opening his mouth to say something. But Courtney shoved her hand into his face, cutting off his words.

"_But_," she continued, a determined expression on her face, "I only stay at the party for half an hour only."

Duncan blinked. "Who the hell stays at a party for half an hour?" he asked incredulously, eyes bugged out. "Two hours, at least."

"Forty-five minutes," Courtney retorted.

"An hour and a half, then," Duncan countered.

"No," Courtney shook her head. "I wouldn't be able to survive an hour and a half at a party."

Duncan made a face and blew out a breath. Princess was seriously starting to get on his nerves.

"_Fine. _One hour. Final offer." He crossed his arms and watched her intently, waiting for a response.

Courtney paused for a moment, and then stuck out her hand. "Deal."

Duncan took her small hand in his calloused one and they both shook hands, grinning.

She might say one hour, but somehow, Duncan got the feeling that she would be staying at the party all night long.

"_I've built myself this wall, but it's not to block anybody out. It's to see who loves me enough to actually climb over it."-Anonymous_

Courtney walked home, her steps unsure and slow.

Did she make the right choice in allowing Duncan to take her to the party?

The brown-haired girl chewed on her lips worriedly.

She's never been to a party before. Sure, Gwen and Bridgette had loads of times, and they've always tried to convince Courtney to come with them, but…

Courtney gave a sigh.

It wasn't really being with Duncan that worried her; she was pretty used to him by now. But this was her first party ever. She had reason to be nervous. To start it off, she had no clue what to wear.

Courtney doubted her conservative and preppy clothing would fit in at a party. Duncan would blend right in, but she would stand out with her gray preppy polo and her black capris.

Seriously.

Who wore clothing like that to parties? And furthermore, she didn't have any clue how to do her hair and make-up!

For sure, parties required a certain way of dressing up.

Gwen and Bridgette wouldn't be able to help her. Gwen only knew how to do gothic make-up, and Bridgette never really 'dressed up' for a party. She was like one of the guys. In a way.

Courtney paused, and then reached into the back pocket of her jeans, pulling out her red Blackberry.

She pressed the number of the person that she knew could help her.

"Heather, this is Courtney. I need help."

"_A love only grows stronger when you deny it." -Anonymous_

Courtney leaned against the fence, waiting for Heather to arrive.

The C.I.T replayed the conversation in her head.

"_Oh, wow, Courtney, what a surprise," Heather said, that faux-friendly tone evident in her voice. "You __**never**__ call me. So what do you need help on?" _

_Courtney rubbed the bridge of her nose, knowing that she would really regret this later. "I'm going to a party this Saturday."_

"_Ooh." Heather gave a little mean laugh. "You don't know what to wear, right?"_

"_Right."_

"_I could totally help you on that. Where are you right now? At home or what?"_

"_I'm walking home. On the intersection of Jackson and Flickinger," Courtney said, checking the signs overhead._

"_All right, you wait right there. I'm going to come pick you up and then we can go shopping," Heather cooed, her tone making Courtney feel sick. "I'll totally find something cute for you to wear."_

"_Okay," Courtney said. "I trust you."_

_Totally not true. If there was one rule in the book that everyone followed, it was to never trust Heather. She was the queen of backstabbing. It was baffling how the girl was so popular. _

"_Doesn't everyone?" Heather said haughtily. Courtney could just imagine the raven-haired beauty flipping back her long hair as she spoke. "Now, you stay put and I'll pick you up, and we can go shopping. Ta-ta, sweetie."_

She was surprised that Heather was so willing to help her out. Usually, she'd hem and haw and complain and make you feel like as if she's doing a huge favor for you, even if it was just something as simple as borrowing some notes.

Maybe Heather had an ulterior motive. Didn't she always?

But Courtney brushed off the thought. As long as Heather helped her look decent for the party, it was good. Whatever Heather wanted in return, she'd back it up later.

Courtney checked her phone to make sure if her mother had called.

The good thing about having a mother who worked late hours after school meant that she could go anywhere, and her mother wouldn't ever suspect a thing.

But, Courtney, being the good girl she was, called her mother anyway, and informed her that she would be out with her friends.

The brunette didn't like hiding things from her mother, strangely enough.

"Courtney!" called a voice from behind.

Courtney turned around and saw Heather pulling up in her sleek red convertible, the roof down.

Heather had a pair of sunglasses perched on top of her glossy head. "Hey, Courtney," Heather greeted, smiling brightly. She patted the empty passenger seat next to her. "Get in."

Courtney obliged, daintily sliding over the leather seat and buckling her seatbelt.

"Which mall are we headed?" she asked as the car revved into action and sped down the road.

"Westfield," Heather replied, flipping down her shades over her eyes. "Only that mall will have something that, um, suits you." She smiled at Courtney sweetly, who hesitantly smiled back.

Courtney had the nagging feeling that Heather had just subtly insulted her.

"Let's hear some music," Heather said over the whipping of the wind, her slender finger switching on the radio.

The stereo blared out 'Love in this Club' by Usher, nearly rendering Courtney deaf.

At least the music filled the silence that the two girls shared.

"_Love is a fire sparkling in lover's eyes, a sea nourished with lover's tears. A madness." –Romeo from Romeo & Juliet_

"Ew, can you believe this dress?" Heather asked in disgust, holding up a frilly purple party dress. "It's hideous. I love Betsey Johnson and all, but I think this is one of her worst works ever."

She sniffed and tossed the dress back onto the rack.

"All the clothing in here totally clashes with my style," Courtney said, holding up and comparing a light pink dress to a dark blue one. "I mean, can't you find another store that has more… conservative clothing?"

Heather made a slight sound of distaste. "I don't think so."

Courtney rolled her eyes. Her wardrobe was so simple. All she usually had was the normal grays, navy, white and black. And she usually didn't shop at the mall or anything. She just went down to Dolce & Gabbana or Ralph Lauren with her mother and picked out the most conservative things she could find.

They had been shopping for over an hour, going from store to store, and nothing Courtney saw fit her tastes. She was stuck in the small fitting room for the last half hour, trying on every thing Heather threw over the door.

"I don't think this style is really my sort of thing, Heather," Courtney said at last, looking herself over in the mirror.

She was wearing a hot pink spaghetti strap dress that would look fabulous on people like Heather and Lindsay, but just fell flat on her.

She just didn't have the 'sexy girl' kind of look going for her.

"Can I come in?" Heather asked, hand poised on the doorknob.

Courtney felt a little embarrassed to be seen in a dress like this in front of Heather, but opened the door anyway.

Heather looked over Courtney with a critical eye. "Maybe dresses aren't really your thing, huh? Well…"

She crossed her arms, face scrunched. "We could always give you the shorts and top." A smirk crept across her glossy lips.

"Wait just one moment, I have the perfect outfit in my mind," Heather said, hurrying out the fitting room.

Courtney sighed, and sank down onto the bench in the fitting room. She felt so stupid in every single dress she tried on.

A shudder ran through the brunette when she thought of how Duncan would react if he saw her in the skimpy dress.

Courtney mentally slapped herself.

Why did she even care what Duncan would think, anyway? She only wanted to make a good impression at the party and leave it at that.

"All right, try this on," Heather said from behind the door. A shower of clothing flew over the door and landed on Courtney's hand.

"I figured that if dresses aren't really your thing, we could try it out with shorts. Because jeans are _so_ not meant for parties. I mean, what kind of self-respecting girl wears jeans to a major party?" Heather paused. "We _are_ talking about Trent's major party on Saturday, right?"

"Yeah," Courtney said absentmindedly, sifting through the clothing that Heather had picked out. "Are you gonna be there, too?"

Heather made a derisive sound. "Of course I am. What do you think?"

Courtney rolled her green eyes. Heather was so full of herself.

There was a hot pink pair of shorts and a white halter-top much similar to the red one that Heather always wore. There were sunny yellow bows at the bottom sides of the halter-top that eased out the sex factor, much to Courtney's relief.

The C.I.T didn't think much of the shorts, but she still cautiously slipped into them all the same, and dutifully tried the finger test, like her mother always told her to.

The shorts didn't pass the test, but it wasn't _too_ short. It reached about five inches above her knee, which was standard enough.

And besides. The hot pink color looked nice in contrast with her light brown skin.

"Tell me if the shirt's too much, okay?" Heather said from the other side, "I personally think it'll go great with the shorts, but if you don't like it, I saw this other extremely cute top, well, not as cute as the one I got you, but it would look just as good with the shorts."

Courtney took off her normal gray polo and pulled the halter-top over her head.

It fit snugly around her slim waist, accentuating her curves.

Courtney smiled at her reflection in the mirror, rather proud with her look.

Who knew she could look this good?

Hardly ever would she wear stuff like this, but once in a while, she supposed, change was good.

Overall, her outfit was pretty darn good.

As much as she hated to admit it, Heather was a pro when it came to fashion.

Courtney opened the door and smiled at Heather, who was waiting outside. "So, what do you think?"

Heather looked Courtney up and down, and nodded in approval. She swung an arm around Courtney, a gesture that set Courtney on guard, and smiled pleasantly. "You look definitely hot, Courtney. You'll totally snag a guy at the party this weekend."

Courtney sniffed daintily. "Please. I have no use for guys."

Heather smirked. "Wasn't what I heard. Something up with you and the hot bad boy transfer student in school, Courtney?"

The popular cheerleader twirled her hair with her finger, smiling knowingly.

Courtney stared at Heather, mouth open. "What?"

"Geoff and DJ told me everything," Heather said, flipping back her glossy hair. "But no worries."

She slid her finger across her lips. "I'll keep quiet about this. It'll be our very own secret."

Courtney gave a groan.

Right.

Secret.

"Well, let's go check this out and we can go shopping for shoes and jewelry." Heather grabbed Courtney's hand and eyed the neat cuticles. "Uh, no. These are so not party material."

She looked at the rather miffed Courtney, totally disregarding her rudeness. "You like black or hot pink?"

"_Love knows not reasons nor distance nor age, and yet thrives in the heart, mind and soul." -Anonymous_

"So then, stupid Leshawna just came out of freakin' nowhere and started getting all up in my face. And all over her ugly-ass boyfriend, Harold."

Heather rolled her eyes. "God. Seriously, I thought Leshawna had more taste than that, even if she is the most annoying bitch at school. Harold is, like, the most disgusting thing I've ever--Ow!"

Heather glared down at the nail stylist who was working on her foot. "Watch where you file that thing! I'm not paying you to mutilate my nails!"

Courtney rolled her eyes. For the last fifteen minutes they've been getting their nails done, Heather had talked smack about nearly everyone in school. Excluding Courtney herself and her friends, of course, but Courtney doubted that Heather found no fault in them.

Heather leaned against her chair, flipping a page in her Glamour magazine, continuing with her talk.

"Anyway, as I was saying, Harold is so gross. When I think of Leshawna and him making out, I want to throw up so bad." She mimed sticking a finger down her throat for emphasis.

Courtney nodded in agreement. "I agree with that," she said, shuddering as she thought of how grossed out she was when she caught Leshawna and Harold kissing passionately behind the library after school.

Talk about nauseating.

Courtney had nothing against Leshawna; Leshawna was the coolest, street-wise girl on campus, regardless of the rumors Heather always tried to spread. But Harold and Courtney had had a bad history, and Courtney held a long grudge.

"In other words," Heather tossed the magazine on the little table besides her, "Those two are _the _worst couple in the history of Independence High. And right after them is Lindsay and that jock wanna-be Tyler. I mean, sure, Lindsey's as dumb as a brick, but I would never have guessed she'd fall for a loser like that Tyler."

Courtney vaguely wondered if Heather ever felt guilty when she talked about her 'best friend' like that behind her back.

She probably didn't.

But Heather wasn't far off on Lindsey being as dumb as a brick.

"Oh my gosh, it's so fun talking to you," Heather gushed in that fake friendly voice, a sickly sweet smile aimed at Courtney. "We should totally be, like, BFFs."

Courtney forced a smile.

"Best friends forever," she said feebly, linking her pinky with Heather's.

_"Memory is a way of holding on to our things we love, the things that make you, and the things you'll never want to lose." - madison(totaldramaislandlover)_

"I can't wait to see you in that outfit at the party!" Heather said in her faux-friendly tone to the brunette standing outside her door. "See you tomorrow!"

"Bye," Courtney said half-heartedly, trying to muster up a smile.

Heather revved up her car and shot down the road, radio blaring.

Courtney watched Heather round a corner, and sighed, picked up her bags of clothing.

She trudged to her door, idly unlocking it.

The cost for today's shopping trip cost Courtney about two hundred bucks. That was about two month's allowance.

She had saved up her money for other important stuff, but Heather had already gone through the trouble of taking her to the mall.

Courtney opened the door, thinking.

So if she saved up for about another two months, that meant she could buy that violin that she had wanted, and maybe even--

Courtney was yanked out of her thoughts as voices wafted from the living room. Violent game sounds were heard.

Why was her brother home today? He was supposed to be at his college.

Oh, wait.

Today was a school holiday for James, or whatever.

That was good; Courtney had a lot of stuff to tell her brother.

Courtney was about to head into the living room to show James her new items, but stopped when she heard him shout.

"You missed him! How could you miss him; he was right in front of you!"

Did he have a college buddy with him?

Maybe it was his cute friend, Kevin, Courtney thought excitedly.

"Whatever," scoffed a chillingly familiar voice, "It's not like you didn't miss the last three guys, too."

Courtney froze in the hallway, her bags dropping on the floor.

That sounded like…

But… it _couldn't_ be.

"That was because I was distracted!" James snapped.

"With what?" sneered the sarcastic voice.

_Duncan._

"_It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives" –Anonymous_

**A/N: Gasp! What on earth is Duncan doing in Courtney's house? Find out in the next chapter, so tune in for next time... (haha, I've been watching way too much TV)**

**And, and... Oh my goodness, thanks so much for all the quotes you guys sent in! I'm so happy(: Please send in more; they're all so great! Dang, this was just what I needed after a hard day.**

**Shout outs to reviewers: Thanks to Sonomi-chan, Totaldramatheisland, London Romance, PenInfatuation and ****Vamp-fan1987'-'for giving great reviews that'll help make this story better! All you guys who reviewed me: THANK YOU(:**


	7. Make Him Go Away

**Chapter 7: Make Him Go Away.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Total Drama Island or any of its characters(: **

"_Love is like a rose in winter. Only the strong survive." –Anonymous_

Courtney hurried into the living room, terror running through her.

What on Earth was Duncan doing in her house? Why was he even here?

Why was he playing games with her brother?

And why, oh why, was it that everywhere she went, she saw this living nightmare?

Courtney bravely decided against going up to her room and ignoring the two men. Duncan might be here for a good reason.

And she was curious as to what it was.

Or maybe, Courtney hoped as she hesitantly stepped into the living room, maybe it wasn't Duncan. Maybe it was just James's friend who sounded like Duncan.

Yes, that was possible, she told herself determinedly. Very possible.

The two teens were oblivious to the brunette that just entered the room; their eyes were glued onto the TV screen.

Courtney felt her heart drop as she stared at the unwanted guest in disbelief.

It _was _Duncan.

Sure enough, there was the rebel, with his green spikes, piercings and all, playing Grand Theft Auto with her brother.

Courtney waited impatiently for a few moments, arms crossed and foot tapping on the floor, but no one noticed her.

After a few seconds of being ignored like that, however, Courtney took the more obvious route.

"What is he doing here?" she demanded, making herself known.

Duncan whirled around at the sound of her voice, a cocky grin already crawling over his features.

"Princess!" Duncan drawled. "What a coincidence."

Coincidence her derriere.

Courtney ignored him pointedly, her glare focused on her brother.

"Your friend came over, said he needed help with you for something," James said, pressing the game on Pause.

He looked at Courtney's expression, thoroughly confused.

The raven-haired young man faltered a bit at his sister's face. Courtney has been known to wreak havoc when she was pissed.

"What?" James said in defense, holding up his hands, "I didn't do anything wrong!"

Courtney narrowed her eyes.

Weren't brothers supposed to be protective?

Shouldn't James at least be suspicious of Duncan's appearance? Seriously, what kind of brother would let their younger sister get involved with a boy who looked like _that_?

Courtney promptly grabbed Duncan by the wrist and stomped out of the living room, pulling Duncan along and leaving a baffled James behind.

"Easy, Princess," Duncan said, clearly enjoying this, "Let's not be too hasty."

Courtney dropped Duncan's wrist like as if it had a deadly disease, and wheeled around.

"What are you doing here, Duncan?" she hissed, glaring at the delinquent.

Duncan shrugged, looking bored. "I came to play your brother's awesome game. And, by the way," Duncan shot her a sly glance, "he is _so_ not uptight, unlike you."

Courtney felt her blood boil at his words.

That rude, arrogant, boorish----! How dare he come into her house and insult her?

"Well," she said huffily, "Your fun is _over_." She pointed at the door. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

Duncan didn't budge. "I don't think so, sunshine," he said cheerfully, heading back towards the living room, "Cause you see, your brother and I have become, uh, _friends_." He stressed out the last word delicately.

The smug look he then gave Courtney sent shivers down her spine.

"Aren't you proud of me? After all," he looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, "you were the one who insisted me to get more socially active."

Courtney's mouth promptly dropped open.

Oh my god.

He was using her own words against her!

"But---- But, I didn't mean---" Courtney spluttered, trying to get her thoughts out of her mouth. "I didn't mean to be friends with my brother!"

Duncan was already gone into the living room.

"Duncan!" Courtney shouted, actually stamping her foot on the ground like a child.

His green head peeked around the corner and the boy smirked at her. "I think you should be proud of me, sweetheart."

"You---!"

"Duncan, ready for another round?" James called from the living room.

"Bring it on," Duncan said, rubbing his hands together.

Courtney buried her face into her hands and gave a groan.

This was _not_ happening.

"_When there's a will, there's a way. And where there's a way, then there's usually a stop sign somewhere along the road." -Anonymous_

"Bridgette, I _cannot_ take this much more," Courtney ranted to her best surfer friend on the phone, nearly yanking out her hair in frustration. "He is _impossible_! I mean, he's rude, uncouth and unrefined! And furthermore, he's invading my personal and school life! Everywhere I go, I see him! He's even in my house right now, for God's sake, playing the freakin' Playstation 3 with my freakin' brother! And you would think at least James would disapprove of him, but _no_, he just goes ahead and makes friend with the criminal!"

Courtney flung herself on her bed and took a deep breath.

"I think he's kinda cute," Bridgette said vaguely. "I mean, _I_ don't go for guys like him. Geoff's more my style, but you gotta admit. Duncan is hot. He's like a mix between Chad Michael Murray and Ashton Kutcher. You like Ashton Kutcher, don't you?"

"_What?"_

"He acts like a punk, but he might be nice underneath it all." Bridgette took on a sly tone. "And besides… you might like him once you get to know him."

Courtney shook her head in disbelief. "No. Just, no." The thought of her actually liking a guy like Duncan was unthinkable.

"Who knows?" Bridgette sounded amused. "You know how it goes. Opposites attract."

Courtney rolled her eyes. "That's just gross, Bridge'. I don't know even know how you can think that."

"Whatever, Courtney. You know that it's true. I mean, just look at Gwen and Trent. She's the hot gothic chick, and he's the preppy musician of the school. Total opposites, right?"

"Right," Courtney admitted. "But that's a one case scenario!"

"Harold and Leshawna," Bridgette shot back, sounding smug. "You can't weasel your way out of that one."

Courtney couldn't.

Harold was the geeky, asthmatic, Star Wars freak of the school, and Leshawna was the popular, spunky and vivacious sister.

"Well," she sniffed, sounding confident, "You won't have to apply that stupid piece of wisdom to me, because there's _no way _I could ever like that criminal."

A knock came at her door.

"Oh, Princess," said a voice from the other side, "Prince Charming's come to rescue you from your dungeon."

Courtney gave a disgusted groan.

Him.

"I gotta go, Bridge," she said, "Someone's at the door."

"Bye, then. See you tomorrow, Courtney."

Courtney clicked the phone off and swung her foot off the bed. She went towards the door and opened it slowly.

Duncan's face came into view. He was grinning lazily.

"What do you want?" Courtney asked wearily, hand poised on the doorknob. "And where's my brother?"

"He had to go out and pick up some stuff at the market or whatever," Duncan said, looking unconcerned with the fact that he and Courtney were utterly alone in the house. "But that's not the point."

He placed a hand on the edge of the door, edging it open.

"Look, I know we didn't get off on the right foot," Duncan said, easing his way through the door.

Courtney allowed him to get through, wondering what the boy had on his mind.

Never mind the fact that she and him were alone in the house and in the same room. Courtney wanted to know what Duncan had to say. He sounded serious.

"And I know I'm not exactly the best person to hang around with," he continued, his socks silent on the hardwood floor, "And I know I've caused you a lot of grief." He sounded like as if he couldn't care less.

"Yes," Courtney said slowly, wondering what Duncan was getting at.

Duncan easily swung himself onto Courtney's bed, to her dismay.

He propped himself against the headboard, eyes closed and hands clasped behind his head in relaxation.

He peeked one eye open and smiled slightly.

"I wanna make it up to you."

Courtney crossed her arms and looked away in disbelief. "Please," she scoffed, "You can make it up to me by staying away from trouble for the rest of the week." She paused. "And my house."

"No can do, Princess," Duncan said, shaking his head. He smirked. "I was thinking of making it up to you some other way."

Her eyes narrowed. "What other way are you thinking of?"

He grinned. "How about a night where I show you how to really have some fun?"

Courtney's mind reeled at the thought.

"No, thank you," she said immediately. "I have no wish to partake in your vulgar 'fun'. Drugs and booze are not my thing."

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Why is it that you always associate me with drugs and booze?"

Courtney mimicked his actions. "Well, what else do people like you do to have fun?"

Duncan smiled cockily, his head tilted. "You might be surprised, Princess."

"Well, I'm not interested," she said coldly. "Go find some other girl to bother."

"I'll give up vandalizing school property for good," Duncan bribed.

Courtney tossed her hair, smug. "Well, that would be a tempting offer, if you hadn't already promised me that over the 'taking me to the party' deal."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, babe," said Duncan, his expression suddenly scheming. "You see, I only promised to not skip classes." An impish grin found its way to Duncan's pierced lips. "There was nothing mentioned about me not vandalizing school property. And believe me, Princess, I _know_ how to vandalize."

"You---!" Courtney screeched, fists clenched.

She could not _believe _this guy!

The delinquent didn't even seem fazed at Courtney's murderous attitude.

In fact, she noted, with a bit of alarm, Duncan actually looked… _excited._

"Do you have any idea how hot you are when you're mad?" he commented offhandedly, cocking his head to the side. That complacent, laidback smile was still pasted on his face.

And then, Courtney blushed. As in _really _blushed.

All the way to the root of her hair.

Now, that… _that _was a weird thing.

Because Courtney Mann rarely blushed. Sure she turned pink now and then, but full out red? Not on a daily basis.

The first time was when she found out her period had leaked through her new white Apo jeans. The second time was when she found her parents in the middle of doing 'it' at four in the morning. The third time was when she accidentally cut her brother's cute friend's… well, that was better left unsaid.

Needless to say, it was a blush that didn't happen very often. And Courtney was baffled as to why she was blushing so right now.

"You are an ogre," she hissed, glaring down at Duncan, who was lounging back in her bed.

"You were supposed to say 'thank you', babe." Duncan rolled his eyes carelessly. "It was a compliment." He threw a sneaky grin her way.

"Get out of my bed," Courtney snarled, grabbing at Duncan's wrist and attempting to yank him off.

He resisted and patted the side of the bed, a light smile flitting across his features.

"Why don't you join me instead?" he murmured, seductive. He peered languidly up at her through his dark lashes.

And for a moment, Courtney was enthralled.

She blinked once. Twice.

And the spell was broken.

"I said, get out," she ground out through gritted teeth, angered by her moment of vulnerability. "Out of my house, too, Duncan."

Duncan gave an exasperated sigh. "Fine."

He loped past her, leaving behind a trail of mint and citrus in his wake.

Funny thing was, Courtney didn't smell the smoke on Duncan today. She was so used to the odd mingling aroma of smoke, citrus and spearmint, that now, the absence of his smoky scent was almost startling.

"You didn't smoke today," Courtney commented a little dazedly, running a feeble hand through her hair.

Duncan made a sound of annoyance. "So? What's to talk about it?"

Courtney blinked. "I was just… surprised, that's all."

Duncan looked over his shoulder, his hand poised on the doorknob. He flashed her a wolfish grin. "I'm not addicted to smoking, doll face. I only smoke when I want to."

He opened the door and walked out, shutting the door behind him in a sort of forbidding thump.

And for one wild moment, as she stood there alone in the middle of the room, Courtney almost wished he didn't leave.

Almost.

"_The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it." –Oscar Wilde_

Courtney sat on her window ledge, the curtains shut tightly, closing her off from the world.

When Courtney needed to think or just be alone, she always came to her window seat as a sanctuary.

There, she could watch the world go by safely behind thick damask curtains.

Sometimes, she would read a book and listen to music, safe in her own little world.

And when Courtney had a problem, she always went to her brother. Even if the advice he gave her was never really that good, he listened. That was something that Courtney always craved for in a person.

Someone that would listen to you.

Gwen and Bridgette were her best friends, and they were wonderful people to talk to when you were down. But somehow, Courtney just didn't want to confide her problems to her best friends.

Sometimes, Courtney just wanted to talk to someone who wasn't involved in her social life that much.

Someone who wasn't drawn into her personal life, like Gwen and Bridgette.

That was where James came in.

James was very much involved in Courtney's life, yes. But they both steered clear of getting drawn in with each other's social life.

Yet, when things got rocky for Courtney, she always came to James to just simply talk, as did James with her.

But that was before. Now, James was in college, and, quite suddenly, the one person Courtney always came to vanished.

Sure, he came home on weekends and holidays, and sometimes on weekdays if he had time.

But it wasn't the same.

She should've been used to it by now, since he's been going to college for almost two years already. But she wasn't.

Courtney, despite her insults and typical sisterly dislike for her brother, missed him. She missed sneaking out to the roof with him on Friday nights. They would always bring a bunch of junk food up there and lay out a blanket and stare at the stars.

Courtney still climbed up to the roof sometimes. But it just wasn't the same when she did it alone.

Nothing was the same anymore since James left, actually. The house was quieter. At night, when there was dead silence, Courtney would be paranoid and scared. Before, the house would rattle with James's incredibly loud snoring.

When James still lived here, everywhere he went, he created a mess. And though Courtney complained and whined about having to clean up after him endlessly, it gave her a thing to do. Now, with him gone, Courtney felt an emptiness inside. She sometimes missed the messes he always created.

Courtney would never admit this to anyone, but she missed her brother. Terribly so.

And Courtney knew her mother missed James just as much.

He called regularly, every few days. Courtney saw him about four days out of seven. She just saw him yesterday. He was playing that stupid video game with Duncan.

But it just wasn't the same.

College didn't change James in the least. And at the same time, college changed everything in him.

Courtney sighed and leaned back against the plush cushions.

Whatever. She could always talk to him this Saturday when he came home.

But then there was that party. The stupid party was the very reason Courtney needed to talk to James right now.

Not one day of the week went by without Duncan driving Courtney crazy at least once. Soon, the days flew by and Courtney found herself facing Friday. The party was tomorrow. Saturday night.

And there was no doubting it.

Courtney was nervous about the party. This would be her very first party. And furthermore, she was Duncan's date.

She hated to use that word, but that was what it was. She was Duncan's _date_ to the party.

Well, she would avoid him at all costs during the party, Courtney decided determinedly. And she certainly wouldn't _dance _with him!

She saw the atrocious way that girls like Heather and Lindsey danced with guys. It was horrifying.

And then there was the outfit.

Sure, it looked nice on her, but what Courtney felt and how she looked were two completely different things.

How would people react if they saw her in that halter tank top? And the shorts?

Shivers ran down Courtney's spine.

Maybe she should just feign sickness and skip the party.

Yeah, that would be a good idea.

The phone rang its sharp trill, knocking Courtney out of her musings.

She hurried out from behind the curtains and checked the Caller ID.

It was her mom.

"Hello?" she answered, wondering what her mom wanted.

"Hi, sweetie. It's Mommy. Can you do a favor for me?"

Courtney ran a hand through her hair. "Sure, Mom. What do you want me to do?"

"Can you run to PW and get me some grocery? I have the list pinned on the fridge." Her mother sounded frazzled. "I was planning to do it myself, but I'm just loaded with paperwork right now. I'm sorry, honey, but I might come home late."

Courtney frowned. "How late?"

"Oh, I'll be home around 9:30-ish. I really am---What?" There was a person talking to her mother in the background. "Yes, I know, Carol, but I'm on the phone with my daughter. Give me a moment. Courtney?"

"Yes, I'm still here," Courtney said quietly, perching herself on the edge of her bed.

"I really am sorry, sweetie. I'm just on a really tight schedule today. Will you be okay?"

Courtney nodded, despite the fact that her mother couldn't see it. "Yes. I'll be fine."

"Okay, that's good. Well, um, the credit card is on top of the fridge, use that to pay for the groceries, and I won't be home in time to make dinner, so just fix something up yourself, okay? You can do that, right?"

Courtney nodded again. "Of course I can. I'll be fine, Mom. Just… don't overwork yourself, okay?"

"All right. You take care of yourself, okay, sweetie? I'll come home as soon as possible."

Courtney smiled faintly. "Okay. Bye, Mom."

"Bye, honey."

The phone clicked shut and the line went dead.

Courtney dropped the phone back onto its charger, a heavy feeling in her chest.

So she would be home alone until nighttime.

Despite her independence, Courtney didn't like to be left alone for long. It wasn't a nice feeling. And today was a Friday, too. She and her mother were supposed to watch a movie. Now, her mother would probably be too tired to do anything but sleep when she gets home.

Courtney would have to spend the whole night alone.

Of course, Courtney thought viciously, she wouldn't be in this predicament if her brother had wanted to go home today. But no. He wanted to go home on a Saturday because there was some important game today at his college.

Before, Courtney thought dismally, when her mother worked late, she didn't mind. But then again, her brother was still living here.

Courtney went down the stairs and into the kitchen, taking the list off of the fridge and the credit card.

Placing the list and credit card into her purse, Courtney headed to the foyer, slipping on her burgundy pumps and putting on her yellow cardigan.

She stepped out the door and locked it carefully before heading down the steps of the porch.

Courtney headed down towards PW, her pumps making sharp clicking sounds as it hit the pavement.

A boy about her age from across the street stared at her oddly as she passed by.

People tended to stare at Courtney when she went out.

It was because of her clothing. Courtney was only sixteen, but she certainly didn't dress like one.

If anything, she was like a mini of her mother, except in younger attire.

But Courtney liked her style. It was chic, stylish, professional and most certainly expensive. Who else wore Marc Jacob pumps to school?

Of course, the way she dressed scared off men. Guys in her school didn't like being romantically associated with a girl like Courtney.

She was too smart, too complex, and way too high maintenance.

And that was fine with Courtney. Boys were stupid, anyway.

Besides, Courtney enjoyed the power she had over the guys. No guy dared to argue with her.

Except for one.

The only guy that ever dared to talk back to Courtney was, of course, _him. _

Duncan.

She'd only known him over the course of a week or two, but even so, her mind was always cluttered with him.

And it was not those happy, silly thoughts that girls always had when they were infatuated with a stupid boy.

It was those thoughts where it was like something was gnawing at you. Something very frustrating.

Sure, it didn't hurt or anything, but it did get very annoying.

To Courtney, Duncan was like an ant that was crawling all over her body, biting her here and there.

And she couldn't just smash him with her fingers because he was so hard to catch.

"_I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." –Thomas Alva Edison_

**A/N: Hahaha, I love portraying Courtney's character. She's awesome. And, furthermore, she's sort of breaking under Duncan's influence! Gasp! Dang, I need more reviews, peole? What happened to those awesome readers out there who like, sent in a jumbo of quotes for me when I needed it? Got any good quotes? Get at me. **

**P.S: Yes, there will be a lot more Duncan P.O.V's in the future. So those people out there who like Duncan's twisted mind, the next chapter is gonna be for you! **


	8. Courtney's Tears

**Chapter 8: Courtney's Tears**

**Disclaimer: Dang, I wish**** I owned TDI. And Duncan. We'd have fun together.**

"_When love is not madness, it is not love." –Pedro Calderon de la Barca_

_Duncan:_

Duncan stared longingly at his motorcycle tucked in the garage.

He would've loved to be able to ride it to the supermarket, but his mother had forbidden him to even touch it after the last accident.

At least, until he got his license renewed. Right now, sadly, it was suspended.

But whatever.

He got his skateboard. And you sure as hell don't need a license for that.

"Mom, I'm going to PW. Where'd you put the grocery list?" he called to his mother, who was watching a soap opera in her bedroom.

"On the counter, dear," she called back.

Duncan looked at the counter.

It was empty.

He frowned. "I don't see it, Mom."

His mother didn't reply.

A soft growling by Duncan's foot caught his attention. He looked down, finding Spike, the family's puppy husky by his feet.

There was a piece of paper clamped between his fangs.

"Aw, damn it, Spike," Duncan complained, falling to his knees and yanking the soggy paper away from its mouth. "You ate the shopping list again? How'd you get it, anyway?"

Spike growled playfully, refusing to let the paper from its mouth.

For a tiny thing, Spike had a strong hold. In fact, Spike was so small that Duncan could hold the pup in the palm of his hand.

"Come on," Duncan growled, pushing the dog's head back slightly, "Let go, you runt."

Spike resisted, shaking his furry head.

Duncan sighed and took on a commanding tone. "Let go, Spike."

Spike reluctantly released the paper from its mouth, obeying his master's orders.

Duncan tried to piece together the list, frowning. Even though it was the ink had smeared slightly and the paper had torn, Duncan was able to make out most of the list.

Ah, what the hell. A few missing items wouldn't kill anyone.

"You stupid dog," Duncan said, nudging the puppy gently, even though he really felt no grudge towards his companion. "You gotta stop doing that."

Spike whimpered and laid its head on Duncan's knee.

Duncan rubbed its head and chuckled.

Though he had promised himself not to become smitten with the tiny puppy when his family first brought it home, Duncan quickly succumbed to its puppy eyes and fluffy fur.

The doctor had said that because of its size, Spike wouldn't make it past a few months. But here he was, alive and kicking.

_Too _alive, Duncan thought sometimes. The dog could never run out of energy.

The delinquent stood up, the dog padding behind him loyally.

Duncan eyed Spike. Well… Since he was walking anyway, taking Spike for exercise wouldn't hurt anyone.

He grabbed the leash hanging on the coat rack by the door, clipped the hook onto Spike's purple collar and the other hook (he designed this part himself) through the belt loop of his jeans.

Duncan didn't like holding the end of the leash when he was walking Spike, so he had clipped off the edge of the leash and replaced it with a hook so that he could lace it through his belt loops. That way, when he took Spike for a walk, his hands would be free.

And even though his mother warned him that if Spike took off, Duncan would take a nasty spill, the delinquent knew that Spike knew better than to go wild when it was _Duncan_ who was walking him.

"Come on," Duncan said, opening the door and stepping out, "We're gonna go for a walk, Spike."

Spike obediently padded out, and Duncan closed the door behind him, locking it.

The teenager loped down the block, Spike gleefully bounding by his master, tongue lagging out of the side of his mouth.

Duncan shoved his hands into his pocket, his tongue playing with his piercing.

A brunette girl across the street taking out the trash caught Duncan's eye, and for a moment, he thought that it was Princess and a smile was already halfway across his face when he realized that it wasn't her.

Duh.

Duncan knew where Courtney lived.

Princess lived in the opposite direction, in the fancier houses.

Of course, Duncan's neighborhood wasn't bad or anything. It was just your typical suburban, everyday neighborhood.

Courtney's area was more along the high-end, with the fancy house and expensive interior.

Princess's name fit her well, Duncan mused.

Even though Duncan failed to notice at this point, the petite brunette had occupied his mind more than any other girl ever had. Everywhere he looked, the girl popped into his train of thought.

And every day, he found greater and greater pleasure in teasing and poking at her.

Though he had looked down upon Courtney when they first met, her attitude and fiery temper soon perked his attention. And he found every day at school incomplete unless he pissed Courtney off at least twice.

There was nothing Duncan loved doing more than letting loose a ticking bomb like Courtney.

And there was an added addition that she was hot.

Unfortunately, there were some, er, _minor_ setbacks to Princess.

She dressed like some big-time business major even though she was only sixteen, and she treated him like he was the scum of the earth.

She acted like as if she knew everything, but Duncan doubted that even Princess herself could understand her own feelings.

Maybe she was going through the same thing he was.

Because Duncan sure as hell didn't know what was going through his mind nowadays. He was constantly shifting between two equally confusing feelings when it came to Courtney.

Sometimes, it was this odd, floaty feeling. Other times, it was sharp and cutting.

"_Come on, Duncan. You either do, or you don't,"_ his inner voice hissed.

"I don't," Duncan said aloud, causing his dog to look up at him in curiosity.

He just liked bothering the prissy girl, that was all. Nothing to it.

And even though he would rather die than admit it, Duncan was too afraid to think that it might be something even deeper than that.

_"If you're ignoring something, that means that you're in denial. Because the only way you wouldn't listen to something is if you don't accept it, which is what denial is." -Obradyroxmysox_

Courtney:

"Okay, I need flour," Courtney murmured to herself, walking down the aisle, holding the plastic red grocery carrier.

She grabbed the Gold Medal flour off of the shelf and scrolled down the list.

Eggs were next.

Even though it was weird, Courtney always felt a sort of pride when she went grocery shopping alone. It was like as if she was caring for her own family. Like as if she was the mother or something.

Courtney really was the motherly type once it came down to it.

The brunette scanned over the choice of eggs and picked out the best.

Courtney eyed the Yoplait yogurt and picked the peach flavored one. Those were her favorite. James preferred the chocolate pudding but Courtney disregarded the fact.

James was only ever home on the weekends. And he wouldn't be here today since he had to stay to retake some sort of test.

And did it matter if his favorite pudding was in the fridge or not?

But Courtney paused. She took the pack of chocolate pudding off of the shelf and placed it in the carrier.

Courtney always did have a nostalgic streak in her. And he was coming home this weekend, anyway. Might as well stock up on his favorite snack.

The brunette checked over her list again, noting the next item on the list.

Ice cream.

The good thing about having her brother gone was that now, she had complete control over what flavor of ice cream to buy.

Before, the two siblings constantly fought over which type to get, but now that he was at college, whatever flavor Courtney wanted, she got.

Her mother couldn't care less what type of ice cream it was, as long as it wasn't chocolate.

Courtney surveyed the flavors that PW had to offer, and chose the Cherry Garcia from Ben & Jerry's.

James had hated that kind while Courtney loved it.

She tossed the ice cream into the plastic carrier and continued down the aisle, searching for the rest of the shopping items, when a flash of green caught her eye.

There was someone ahead of her, looking at a bag of pasta.

He had a shock of green hair spiked on his head, the piercings glinting in the light.

Duncan?

Wait, it couldn't be. People like Duncan didn't go grocery shopping. Did they?

Upon further inspection, Courtney found, to what she dearly hoped was her displeasure, that it was indeed Duncan.

Courtney tried to stifle a giggle as she saw the delinquent look over two different bags of pasta, contemplating which one to take.

It seemed so unlike him to go grocery shopping, nonetheless _checking _over items.

Unfortunately, her laugh did not go by unnoticed.

Duncan turned around, frowning, when his gaze fell upon Courtney.

She visibly froze under Duncan's teal stare.

He looked genuinely surprised for a moment, but quickly, the look was swiped off and replaced with his trademark grin.

"Duncan," Courtney said frigidly as a way of greeting him.

"Princess," he replied, giving Courtney a mocking bow, "Pleasure to meet you here."

Courtney rolled her eyes at Duncan's antics and moved past him, grabbing a bag of pasta from the shelf.

She gave the product a look over in case of any imperfections. It seemed all right.

Now, Courtney told herself, she was going to leave. She could not associate herself with people like Duncan in public.

Just walk away, Courtney chanted. Walk away.

It was funny that Courtney was trying to convince herself to walk away, because when you're trying to convince yourself to do something, it's because you don't want to do it.

In Courtney's case, she didn't want to walk away from Duncan. Of course, she didn't realize that. Or if she did, she was effectively ignoring the fact.

"It was great seeing you here, Duncan, but I'll be leaving now," the brunette said haughtily, turning.

"Aw, come on," Duncan said slyly, slipping his arm over Courtney's shoulders. "Let's go food shopping together. I'll be the dad, you'll be the mom."

Courtney narrowed her green eyes. "Ugh. No, thank you."

Something wet and cold touched then Courtney's fingers and she hastily drew back, giving a little yelp of surprise.

Courtney's wide eyes traveled down to Duncan's pockets, where the cold and wet thing had touched her.

A small furry head the size of a tennis ball poked out. Bright golden eyes blinked at Courtney.

"Oh my gosh," Courtney breathed, completely forgetting her plans to walk away from Duncan, "Is that a puppy?"

Duncan pushed the puppy deeper into his cargo pant's pocket. "Yeah. His name's Spike."

"He's so cute!" Courtney squealed, beaming as Spike struggled to poke his head out of Duncan's pocket. "But, Duncan… You're not allowed to have dogs in here. Unless you're blind."

"So?" Duncan snorted. "I'm not leaving Spike out there by himself. He's gonna get lonely."

Courtney stared at Duncan oddly.

It struck her that Duncan worried for the puppy so much that he didn't dare leave it out by itself.

And that was kinda cute.

For a guy like Duncan, of course, Courtney quickly told herself.

"What?" Duncan asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why you staring at me like that, Princess?"

Courtney shook her head. "Nothing. Your dog's just, er, really cute."

Duncan smiled. It wasn't that teasing smile, or that taunting smirk. It was a true, welcoming smile.

And it just looked _so _awkward on his face that Courtney wanted to laugh out loud.

"I'll let you hold him afterwards if you want," Duncan offered, a sudden streak of friendliness coming out.

Courtney tried to mask the eagerness in her face as she nodded.

Her mother hated pets; said they were too dirty. So Courtney and James never actually had a pet, except for a few goldfish. But that didn't count. You couldn't cuddle a goldfish.

"You're gonna go to Trent's party tomorrow, right?" Duncan asked as Courtney continued down the aisle, searching for the next item on the list.

He was trailing after her now, that smirk on his face.

"Well, I already promised you, didn't I?" Courtney said, picking up a bottle of Heinz ketchup. "And I—"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Duncan cut in, rolling his eyes. "You always keep your promises. Man, you're the legit goody-goody-two-shoes."

Courtney pursed her lips. "You make that sound like as if it's a bad thing."

"It _is._"

Courtney opened her mouth to give a scathing response when a third voice broke in, sounding horribly familiar.

"_Courtney?" _

Courtney whirled around, and felt the blood rush from her face when she saw that it was Bridgette and Geoff.

Geoff had his hands on a cart full of sodas, chips and junk food. The expression on Geoff's and Bridgette's face were utterly similar.

They looked, simply, dumbfounded.

"Bridgette!" Courtney gasped, face aghast. "What are you doing here?"

Bridgette blinked her olive-green eyes slowly, recovering from the shock. "I was just, uh, buying snacks for Trent's party with Geoff here."

Bridgette nodded vaguely in Geoff's direction.

"Uh, hey, Court'," Geoff said, tipping back his cowboy hat. He looked slightly disconcerted, but made an effort all the same to sound cheerful.

"What's up, man?" Duncan said, moving forward to touch knuckles with Geoff.

Bridgette leaned close to Courtney, taking advantage of the diversion, and whispered, "Why are you shopping with him?"

Courtney blushed with indignation. "I'm _not_ shopping with him! We just met here!"

Bridgette cast a glance at Duncan, who was now talking with Geoff, that laidback smile on his lips.

A smile spread across Bridgette's rosy lips as she looked back at Courtney. "I'd call it fate, wouldn't you?"

Courtney shook her head and whispered fiercely, "Bridge', that's not funny. I swear, it's just really bad karma. I don't even know what I did wrong in life to deserve this."

Bridgette reached into her pocket and applied chapstick on her lips. "Well, I think it's something that you did _right_, Court'. And…" Bridgette threw an arm around Courtney. "Duncan seems really happy that he's here with you. Well, as happy as Duncan can look, anyway."

Courtney shook her head, frowning.

Bridgette broke into a grin. "Come on. Give him a chance. You need a guy in your life."

"I don't," Courtney said stubbornly.

"You do," Bridgette said triumphantly. "When was the last time you had a boyfriend? Seventh grade?"

Courtney winced. Ooh, that hurt.

"Uh, Bridgette?" Geoff said hesitantly, poking his head into the girls' conversation. "We gotta roll. I gotta lend my car to my brother in, like, twenty minutes."

"Oh," Bridgette said, looking distracted. "Well, okay, then. Um," she turned to glance at Courtney. "I gotta go, Court'. Call me and Gwen when you get home. We'll three way, okay?"

Courtney nodded, suddenly feeling vulnerable that Bridgette was leaving her.

Bridgette turned, following Geoff. "Bye, Courtney. Bye, Duncan."

"See you later, guys," Geoff said, looking over his shoulder and grinning.

Courtney swore that she saw Geoff give Duncan a covert thumbs up. Or was it just him brushing the brim of his hat?

The C.I.T chanced a glance at her companion.

Duncan's grin had only grown wider.

Courtney felt an ominous feeling grow in the pit of her stomach.

"_Hate leaves ugly scars, love leaves beautiful ones." -Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966_

"So, you goin' home after this, Princess?" Duncan asked, heaving his grocery bag over his shoulder.

They were done with shopping, and Courtney, having to deal with Duncan's childish antics the whole trip, was, quite simply put, worn out.

When Courtney failed to reply, Duncan quipped, "Princess? You gonna answer me?"

The brunette, now used to Duncan's pet name, didn't bother to correct him that her name was not Princess, but Courtney.

"Yes," she said simply. "I'm going home." She tossed the grocery carrier into the stack and looped the grocery bag onto her wrists.

"Let's walk home together," Duncan said, throwing his arm around Courtney's shoulders. "And here; since I'm such a nice guy---" Duncan took Courtney's groceries, "—I'll even hold your stuff for you."

Courtney eyed Duncan suspiciously, but was quickly caught off-guard when a little ball of fluff leaped out of Duncan's pockets and onto the brunette.

"Oh!" Courtney caught the gray and white puppy in her hands, and her surprise quickly melted into adoration and awe as she stared down at tiny Spike. "He's so small!"

The puppy sat easily in the cup of Courtney's palms; he barely weighed a few pounds.

"He's so cute!" Courtney cooed, letting out a laugh as Spike licked her cheek with his small, pink tongue. "Aw, look, he's giving me kisses!"

"_He that is not jealous is not in love." -St. Augustine_

_Duncan:_

Duncan was amused as he watched a side of Courtney not seen often. The girlish side of her that adored cute fluffy puppies and rainbows.

And man, was it cute.

Who knew Princess could act like that? Her current expression was so different than the usual scowls and glares and her coos and giggles were much more pleasant to listen to than her everyday snarls and insults.

But the problem was, her expressions of love were pointed at another being other than Duncan.

Duncan found himself almost getting annoyed at Courtney's obvious adoration of Spike.

Man, you don't get _that _worked up over a puppy.

_I mean, come on, girls act like that over me, too, _Duncan thought inwardly. _Yet she falls for the __**dog's**__ charms. _

"He's adorable," Courtney said, absolutely glowing now. "I'm so jealous of you, Duncan. I've always wanted a pet like… his name's Spike, right?"

"Yeah," Duncan said a little touchily, his tone sulky. "His name's Spike."

"Oh, I can't get over how cute he is!" she exclaimed, abandoning all restraints. Courtney cuddled Spike to her chest. "And he's absolutely tiny!"

Duncan jealously eyed Spike who was wedged between Courtney's breasts.

The dog looked happy. Little pervert.

Well, Duncan would be too if he was in Spike's position.

"Well, why don't you get a pet?" Duncan suggested as they headed down the street. "You got enough _responsibility _for it."

The word responsibility was said in a very sarcastic tone that Courtney failed to miss.

Obviously, the presence of Spike had numbed her wits.

"My mom won't let me; she says dogs and cats gets her allergic," Courtney replied, stroking Spike's little downy head. "The only pets I've ever had were fish. I tried to pet one once when I was little, but that didn't work out so well."

Duncan chuckled. "Cute, Princess."

"Why's he so little, though?" Courtney asked, holding up Spike. "And how'd you get one so small? I don't think pet stores sell them this size."

Duncan eyed the dog.

Well, Spike _was_ really small. His whole entire furry body was only about five inches long.

"My uncle's husky had a litter of pups and this little runt," Duncan gestured at Spike in Courtney's arm, "was the smallest and weakest one. No one thought he was gonna live, and my uncle was gonna put him to sleep, but my dad offered to take him home instead."

Duncan patted Spike's head fondly and the pup leaped out of Courtney's hands and into Duncan's, tongue hanging out joyfully.

"You seem to really like him, too," Courtney said, smiling slightly.

Duncan blinked. He certainly didn't want Courtney to see his soft side. Women didn't like soft guys.

"Yeah, well," Duncan struggled to find something that would help him retain his tough image. "He kinda grows on you after a few months."

Courtney smiled smugly. "Right. You _love_ the dog."

"I do not," Duncan snorted, totally contradicting his words by giving Spike a little absentminded hug.

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Stop denying it, Duncan." She gave him a sneaky grin.

Duncan paused, and when Courtney's grin didn't cease, he rolled his eyes in defeat.

"Okay, _fine_. Maybe I do love the mutt. A little." Then, he quickly straightened up and added hastily, "But that doesn't mean I'm soft!"

Courtney rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "Okay, whatever you say, Duncan. You're a total hard-core."

"Damn straight."

But Duncan then glanced at Courtney, suddenly hesitant. "You won't, uh, mention this to the guys, right? I mean, you know, about Spike?"

Courtney smiled slightly. "Not unless you piss me off."

"Don't I always piss you off?" Duncan asked, visibly relaxing now at Courtney's promise.

"Well," Courtney tapped her chin thoughtfully, "Not unless you piss me off more than usual, anyway."

Duncan grinned. "Can do, babe."

Courtney shook her head, smiling nonetheless. Then, her face darkened as she realized her neighborhood was right in front of her.

"What's wrong, Princess?" Duncan asked, wondering what was the reason for Courtney's disappointed expression.

"Nothing," she said a little hastily. "I… well…" Courtney gave a huge sigh. "My mom's not home. She won't be home until 9:30."

"That's pretty late," Duncan said, raising an eyebrow. "You gonna be okay until then? I mean," he tried to hide the hopefulness in his voice, "I could come over and hang with you if you want."

Courtney blinked for a couple of seconds. Then, she shook her head determinedly. "No. I'll be fine. I'm used to it by now, anyway. I mean, my mom comes home late on a daily basis. Ever since…" She seemed to catch herself mid-sentence and suddenly fell silent. "Never mind."

Courtney made a motion to take her shopping bag from Duncan's hand, but he pulled it up out of her reach.

"Ever since what?" Duncan demanded.

"None of your business," she snapped, going onto her tippy-toes and making another lunge for her plastic bag.

Duncan skillfully dodged back, dancing out of Courtney's grasp. "Not until you tell me what you were gonna say." He grinned playfully.

Courtney pursed her lips, lowering down onto her feet, and replied, her voice tight, "Ever since my dad left us, okay?"

Duncan lowered his arm slowly, suddenly at a loss for words. The grin was no longer visible on his face.

He was prepared for every other answer. But not that.

Duncan always assumed that Courtney was the typical 'Daddy's girl'. That she had a father who always showered her with expensive gifts and jewelry.

Courtney's lips were trembling slightly.

Oh shit.

"Courtney—" Duncan started, not really knowing what to say but trying to say something nonetheless.

But before he could voice any empty sympathies, Courtney cut in, eyes flinty, "You don't need to say anything, Duncan. I'm perfectly fine with him gone. In fact," she continued, her voice a little high now, "I'm happy that he's gone. Completely and totally happy. We're better off without him, anyway."

Courtney yanked her grocery bag out of Duncan's hand, and, giving Spike one last rub on the head, said quietly, "Thanks for holding my stuff, Duncan." She didn't look him in the eyes. "I'll see you later."

She abruptly turned and walked quickly away from him, leaving the young man standing there in the middle of the pavement, feeling, for once in his life, completely lost.

An odd feeling tugged in his heart as he realized that he had just witnessed a side of Courtney he doubted many people have ever seen.

"_Heavy hearts, like heavy clouds in the sky, are best relieved by the letting of a little water." -Antoine Rivarol_

When Courtney came home, she locked herself in her room and silently cried herself to sleep. The memories of her father washed over her, dragging her down into its depths like a current would pull at a drowning person.

"_Invisible tears are the hardest to wipe away. Just let it out, my friend." -Adabella Radici_

**A/N: Now, we see a darker side of Courtney! She's had some emotional problems. Her father seems to affect her a lot. I don't know if this is too dramatic, but I wanted to give Courtney some depth in character, because to me, she seemed flat. Now, people, review, review, review and tell me what you think of Courtney, okay?**

**Extra note: I'm also very sorry that the party scene is taking too long to come, but I need to build it up to lead to a _certain_ event! -hint hint- So bear with me, people! It'll come soon! After one or two more chapters, I swear! **


	9. Meeting Him

Chapter 9: Courtney Forgives.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Total Drama Island. Pity, pity.**

"_In three words, I can sum up everything I have ever learned about life. It. Goes. On." –CartoonFreak8_

"Court'?" a voice asked from above Courtney, who was slumbering on her bed.

"Mmm," Courtney mumbled, stirring in her sleep.

"Court, it's me, James," whispered the voice. "I'm home."

Courtney threw her fluffy comforter over her head and said drowsily, "That's nice. S'go away."

"Look, wake up." James nudged his sister gently. "Come on. Mom's still sleeping and I'm all alone right now." He pulled the blanket off of Courtney.

"Go to sleep some more, then," she said grumpily, throwing the covers back over her. "Leave me alone."

James gave a sigh and said quietly, "Court'." His tone of voice was serious now.

Courtney didn't reply, but James took that to mean that she was still listening.

"Dad called today," the young man continued, noticing how Courtney's body stiffened at the mention of their father.

Courtney opened her eyes and her fingers tightened on the comforter.

James paused.

There was a silence.

"What did he want?" Courtney asked at last, her back still facing James. "He hasn't called us for almost a year."

James ran a hand through his hair. "He… He wants to come over and take us out for lunch today, Court'."

"I don't want to. Tell him I'm sick today," Courtney replied immediately.

She was thankful James couldn't see her face.

"Look," James said desperately, "It was a horrible thing, what he did to us, walking out like that. But Courtney, no matter what, he's still our dad. He raised us."

Courtney was silent.

He wasn't anything of a father in her eyes anymore.

James laid a comforting hand on Courtney's shoulder. "We haven't seen him in a long time. The least we can give him is a few hours. He sounded really hopeful on the phone. He especially mentioned wanting to see you a couple of times, too."

Courtney closed her eyes tightly shut. "I don't care."

"Courtney…"

"No."

"Look, if you're gonna be stubborn like this, then that's your problem," James said, his voice rough now. "But like it or not, we are going to have lunch with our dad."

"Mom won't let us," Courtney said angrily, sitting up now. "So we can't go."

"That's against the contract of the divorce," James shot back. "The law says that Mom can't prevent Dad from coming to visit."

"If you wanna see him so much," Courtney snapped, pushing her brother aside and climbing out of bed, "then _you _go and eat lunch with him. But leave me out of it."

Tears were starting to prick at her eyes again.

"_And that will be the end. We were fated to pretend." –MGMT_

"I don't know, Gwen," Courtney sighed. "I… I don't even know what to think anymore. I really don't want to see my dad again, but at the same time, I want to. I'm lost."

Courtney slid down on the floor of her bathroom, dropping her head into her hands.

Gwen was silent on the other side of the line. Then, she spoke: "He _is _your dad, Courtney. No matter what happens."

Courtney's voice was slightly muffled as she spoke through gritted teeth, "That's the whole problem of it. I have to acknowledge that man as my father."

Gwen's voice was soft and comforting. "Give him a chance, Courtney. He just wants to see you again. And don't deny it. You want to see him, too."

Courtney sniffled and said, her voice cracking, "No, I don't, Gwen. That's stupid." She wiped at her eyes, hugging her knees to her chest. "Why… Why would I want to see him again? I don't need him."

"Courtney, I'm your best friend. You can't lie to me and get away with it," Gwen said shrewdly. "Tell me how you really feel."

Courtney stared at the marble tiles, her fingers tracing the intricate designs set on the glassy surface.

"Sometimes… sometimes, I just… I just wonder," Courtney said, her voice trembling slightly. "I wonder if… if he thinks about me."

"As much as you think about him?" Gwen murmured, her low voice comforting.

A sob escaped Courtney's throat and suddenly, all the emotions she had bottled up started flooding out.

"God, Gwen, I don't want to miss him," Courtney cried. "I don't even want to have anything to do with him anymore. I don't want to cry every time I think about him. And…" she struggled to keep her voice steady, "I just want him gone. Just have him disappear."

Courtney ran a hand through her hair, her whole body shivering now.

"Courtney," Gwen started, a hint of advice in her voice, "You remember what your mom always told us when we came to her, angry about the stupid crap life gives us?"

Courtney was quiet. She did remember.

"She told us to forgive, Court'. Your mother's forgiven your father. Your brother did, too. And now, it's your turn. Forgive the poor guy. Go eat lunch with him and just, well, be a daughter."

Courtney blew out a sigh and stared at the sunny yellow ceiling of the bathroom. "Forgive and forget, huh?"

"Nothing else to it," Gwen answered, a slight smile in her voice now. "You can do it, Courtney."

Courtney closed her eyes for a moment, thinking everything through.

Gwen's words made sense.

She _should_ forgive her father. After all, everyone else did, too, besides her.

"Yeah," Courtney said quietly, hauling herself off of the floor, a new determination in her voice now. "Yeah, you're right. I'm gonna go eat lunch with my dad."

"You do that, and you have fun," Gwen said. "And then you call me and Bridgette and you tell us everything, okay?"

"All right," Courtney said, smiling slightly now. She exhaled deeply. "Thanks, Gwen. That was just what I needed."

"Hey, what are friends for, right? I'm here for you."

Courtney blinked away stray tears, her heart swelling with gratefulness for her friend. "Yeah. You always are." The brunette gave out a sigh. "Well, I guess I gotta stop moping around and dress up, huh?"

"What else_ can_ you do? So look nice for your dad, okay?"

The brunette smiled, noticing her puffy face and red eyes in the mirror. Ugh. Definitely not her best look.

"I'll try my best. But I look a fright right now," Courtney said, leaning forward and examining her eyes in the mirror.

"Nothing some makeup can't fix," Gwen said idly.

Courtney laughed. "True. Bye, Gwen. I'll see you at the party tonight."

"See you, Courtney. Have fun."

Courtney clicked off her Blackberry and sighed.

Well, then, she supposed she'd have to go ransack her closet for the nicest outfit she had.

After all, Courtney thought, a bright smile climbing across her features now. She had to look nice for her daddy.

_"When you're standing on the edge of all the light you've got left, and you're about to push off, one of two things will happen: you will find solid ground, or you will learn to fly." -Anonymous_

Duncan:

"So, dude," Geoff said, grinning as he reclined back into his chair, game controller limp in his hand, "What's up with you and Courtney?"

"What do you mean, 'what's up'?" Duncan asked, raising an eyebrow as he took a swig from his Sprite.

"Aw, come on, man," DJ said, sounding exasperated as he petted his pet Bunny in his lap. "Don't play with us. I mean, we see you and Courtney together _constantly_. There's gotta be _something _in that."

Owen chuckled, shoving a handful of chips into his mouth, "I can't imagine Duncan with someone nice and proper like Courtney. I mean, she's all straight A's and totally smart and Duncan's, well…"

Duncan frowned, daring Owen to finish his sentence.

"Well, it's true!" Owen protested. "You guys are total opposite."

"Well, I couldn't imagine Harold and Leshawna together, either," Trent said, leaning into his seat. "What was that saying? Opposites attract or something like that?"

"Not in my case, man," Duncan said, tapping aimlessly on his controller, "I'd like to say that we're hot and heavy, but we're not." The delinquent shrugged. "Chick hates my guts."

Geoff gave his trademark laugh. "Ooh, harshness."

"Hate, love, it's the same thing," Trent said, waving his hand dismissively. "Besides, all the girls refer to you as "the hot new transfer student." He made quotations with his fingers at the last phrase.

Duncan grinned amusedly. "Really?"

Owen swallowed down his mouthful of food, "Man, all the chicks in the class dig you! You're almost as popular with the ladies as Justin! Man." A dreamy look came across Owen's face. "Justin is smoking hot."

The large blonde boy's eyes widened and he clamped a hand over his mouth, horrified by what he just said.

"I mean, all the girls think that Justin's smoking hot!" Owen said hastily, trying to fix his mistake.

Duncan quirked a pierced eyebrow, looking slightly bemused.

All the other guys in the room shook their heads exasperatedly. Obviously, they were used to Owen's comments that questioned his sexuality.

"Owen, man, you gotta stop doing that," Geoff said, a look of firm disapproval on his face. "Justin is a dude. You're a dude. It's just not right."

Owen immediately flushed with embarrassment and stammered out his feeble protest, but the guys quickly overrode it, and soon, the conversation ended up where it first started.

Duncan and Courtney.

Duncan didn't know why they were even talking about this in the first place. Analyzing relationships wasn't really a thing that guys were supposed to do.

Today, the guys mainly grouped together at Trent's huge house to help move around furniture, set up some stereos and tables, and play Halo 3 on the Playstation3.

They were _not_ supposed to talk about Duncan's odd relationship with Princess.

"You know," DJ started, stroking the top of Bunny's head absentmindedly, "I overheard Heather talking to Lindsay about Courtney."

Duncan sat up straighter, his unsettling teal eyes focused on DJ. "What'd she say?" he asked a little sharply. "She talking smack about Princess?"

For some reason, the thought of someone talking bad about Courtney made Duncan unexplainably angry.

Not that he had any feelings for her or anything, but…

DJ shook his head. "Naw. Ain't nothing shady like that. Heather never talks smack about Courtney, for some reason."

Geoff shrugged. "I guess Heather likes Courtney? I mean, I hear Heather talking about everyone on campus. Even Bridgette comes up once in a while from what I hear. But I never heard Courtney mentioned."

"Which is really weird," Trent added, popping a chip into his mouth. "It's hard to believe that Heather doesn't have anything against Courtney."

Owen snickered in disbelief. "Ha! Let's not think about the impossible, guys. Heather has a thing against _everyone." _

Duncan leaned forward in his seat. "Well, if Heather wasn't talking shit about Princess, then what _was _she talking about?"

DJ grinned, "It was about Courtney going to Trent's party."

"I thought she said she wasn't gonna come," Geoff exclaimed immediately, sounding indignant. "Dudette lied to me!"

"I guess she changed her mind," Owen said, guzzling down a can of Coke. "I mean, Trent's parties _are _pretty awesome."

"What can you say?" Trent said, grinning. "My parties are legendary."

DJ looked at Duncan, smiling slightly. "I'm guessing you got something to do with this, bro?"

Duncan grinned. "Ah, well, Princess and I struck a deal."

Immediately, the guys seemed to straighten up with attention.

"What was the deal?" Geoff asked, looking avid.

"Oh, well," Duncan said airily, "I just, you know. Told her I'd quit ditching classes if she would just loosen up and go to the party with me."

"Sounds like blackmail, dude," DJ said, a subtle tone of disapproval in his low tenor. But he was grinning all the same.

"But that's awesome!" Geoff cheered, pumping his arms in the air. "I've been dying to see Courtney in action at a party."

"So… does that mean you blackmailed her into being your date?" Trent asked, raising an eyebrow.

Duncan gave an offhand scoff. "No. Of course not. I just gave her a little nudge in the right direction, that's all." He shot a covert grin at Geoff and they touched knuckles, snickering.

"Poor Courtney," Owen said, shaking his head. "I wonder how she's dealing with you right now."

There were murmurs of agreements around the room. Duncan frowned.

He wasn't that bad to hang around with, was he?

"Owen's right, brother," DJ said, unable to contain his brotherly protection of the petite brunette. "Courtney's a sweet girl. Don't be giving her too much trouble."

"Ah, don't worry," Duncan said dismissively. "She's doing fine. I'm going easy on Princess." He unpaused the game on Trent's huge flat screen.

"Now, men, let's stop talking about unimportant things and do what we do best," Duncan declared, turning up the volume. "We got people to kill."

"'_I don't love her; I hate her!' _

'_At your age, it's the same thing.'" –Johnny Test_

Courtney:

Courtney carefully curled out the last locks of her hair, and let it tumble down her shoulders.

The brunette surveyed her reflection in the mirror and smiled appreciatively. Her usually straight and prim hair had now transformed into wavy tresses.

Courtney had spent the last hour curling and teasing her hair until it achieved that windswept and tousled status that her father always loved.

If Courtney could remember anything about her father, it was that he loved her when she did her hair.

And she wanted to make him as proud of her as possible today.

She also spent a good fifteen minutes painstakingly doing her make-up. Courtney had carefully put on eyeliner, mascara, foundation, blush, and eyeshadow, trying to make herself look as nice as possible. Her eyes were still puffy from crying, so she had to hide that.

And her outfit was chosen with great care, too: a frilly, sheer white blouse from Gucci with a black silk bow tie at the neck and dark denim skinny jeans from True Religion. Throw on some jewelry and a nice pair of pumps from Prada, and she was good to go.

Her father always did like it when she dressed professional.

"My baby million-dollar CEO," he would say proudly whenever she dressed up. That memory brought up painful twinges in Courtney, but she quickly swallowed it down.

Things were gonna be different today.

Courtney spritzed a few sprays of Irresistible by Givenchy on her neck and wrist. It was her father's favorite scent.

Like Gwen said. She was daddy's girl today.

Courtney stepped out of the bathroom, bumping into James as she did so.

"So," James said, sounding smug. "You decided to go, huh?"

Courtney looked abashedly at the floor, refusing to meet James' eyes. "Look, don't tell Dad I didn't want to see him, okay?" she said quietly. "Let's not mention anything."

"Don't worry," James promised, laying a hand on Courtney's shoulders. "I'm glad you're coming. Dad wanted to see you the most, I think."

There was no sign of jealousy or bitterness in James' voice, but that brotherly tone was seeping out.

Courtney was always on her guard when James took on that 'brotherly' tone. It usually meant something bad was going to happen. Or James was just trying to be nice. Which was equally scary.

"You dressed up for him, too, huh?"

Courtney finally raised her eyes to her brother's, and she realized that he had taken his appearance into careful consideration, too.

His normal outfit of a t-shirt and urban skinny jeans was replaced with a crisp, burgundy Armani Exchange dress shirt and a sleek black tie with the light monogram of Louis Vuitton imprinted on it. Mom had bought that for him on his prom night.

In lieu of his customary Evisu jeans, he had on ironed black slacks, the creases sharp and straight.

His hair was different, too. Instead of the usual tousled and flyaway locks that always tumbled into James' eyes, it was now styled meticulously with gel. He looked nothing short of a businessman.

Courtney recognized the scent wafting from him as Sean Kingston's Unforgivable.

James, Courtney noticed, was still looking at her with that annoying condescending air.

"I wanted to look nice for him," Courtney said defensively, her hand reaching up to her hair reflexively. "There's nothing bad about that."

"I never said there was," James replied, raising his eyebrow.

"Whatever," Courtney said, inching past James to reach for her red Valentino purse that she had placed on the table. "Did you tell Mom we're meeting Dad yet?"

"Yeah," James sighed.

But he didn't say anything more. Which gave Courtney a bad feeling.

A slight rustle behind the siblings caught the two's attention, and they both turned around, realizing that it was their mother.

She had a tired look on her face, and her lines were more pronounced than ever. But she was smiling nonetheless.

"You guys look great," she said, her voice swelling with pride. Her eyes landed on Courtney, and her smile grew even wider. "Oh, Courtney! My baby's so beautiful right now! Your hair is amazing!" Her fingers lightly brushed against Courtney's tresses. "And James! Oh, goodness, I've never seen you look like this before! And you haven't worn this tie I bought for you in forever! And your hair!"

Their mother was, of course, more surprised with James' appearance, since he never looked like this.

Courtney dressed businesslike on a daily basis, so she didn't come across as such a huge shock like her brother.

"Mom," James said awkwardly. "It's not that big a deal. We just wanna look nice for Dad."

"Well, you do look nice, sweetie," their mother said proudly, brushing some lint from James' shirt. "Absolutely fabulous. Your father will be so proud of you guys."

She glanced up at James and Courtney. "You guys are going to eat lunch with him, right? Did he invite you two to sleep over at his house or anything? Stay over for the weekend?"

James shook his head. "No, Mom. Just lunch. Said he had some important stuff to tell us."

"Well," their mother's eyes flicked to the clock, "It's almost one. You guys should get going now. And you all come back and tell me everything that happened, okay?"

"Of course, Mother," Courtney said primly. "Everything you need to know."

"And don't forget to have fun," the siblings' mother said briskly, going on her tippy-toes to plant a kiss on James' cheek. She turned to Courtney and gave her daughter a hug.

"I'm proud of you, sweetie," Courtney's mother whispered into her ear. "I really am."

Courtney smiled. "Thanks, Mom."

Mrs. Mann released her daughter, beaming. "Well, then, you guys should get to it, now. You don't want to keep your dad waiting."

The two started down the stairs, but James stopped and looked over his shoulder.

"What are you going to do, Mom? You wanna come with us, too?" James asked, sounding concerned. "I mean, you're gonna be here all alone and…"

"Oh, me? Alone?" laughed their mother, sounding airy. "Don't worry about me, honey. I'm going to go shopping on 5th Avenue today. Buy myself a new pair of shoes and jeans."

James smiled. "That's good, Mom."

"If you can get me anything, I'd like a new jacket, please," Courtney said, grabbing her red pumps from the shoe rack and slipping it on. "There's this really cute white trench coat from Christian Dior that I saw on East 57th Street."

"And I wouldn't mind a new pair of Nikes, Mom," James added. "The ones I have are wearing out."

"You kids are too spoiled," Mrs. Mann said, coming downstairs to see her two kids off. But she was smiling all the same, which probably meant that Courtney and James would get their presents. "And don't forget your cell phones. I might have to contact you."

"Yeah," James said, holding up his Voyager. "Right here, Mom."

"I got mines in my bag," Courtney said as she opened the door. The brunette looked over her shoulder and smiled at her mother. "Bye, Mom."

"Yeah, see you later, Mom," James said, waving back at his mother.

"Bye, you guys. And remember to say hi to your father for me," called Mrs. Mann as she watched James and Courtney leave.

"Yeah," James called, unlocking his sleek red Infiniti. "I got you, Mom."

The door closed, and soon, the smile on Mrs. Mann's face slipped off. She hoped dearly that Dean wouldn't say anything to upset Courtney. For her to forgive him after all this time, well, that was a pretty big change for Courtney, considering how stubborn she was.

Mrs. Mann ran a hand through her thick red hair.

He had hurt his own daughter enough already. Another blow might just break Courtney completely.

"_Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow." -Mary Anne Radmacher_

Duncan:

The doorbell was ringing.

"Uh, you gonna get that?" Duncan asked, raising an eyebrow as he noticed that Trent had no inclination of putting down his controllers and answering the door.

"Kinda busy here," Trent said distractedly, his character on the TV screen narrowly dodging a hit. "Go for me."

Duncan rolled his eyes and got up from his seat and headed to the door.

"Okay, I'm coming!" Duncan shouted irritably as the doorbell rang impatiently a few more times.

"It is freaking cold out here. Hurry up and open the damn door!" a girl's voice snapped from the other side of the door.

Duncan contemplated not opening the door for a few moments just to piss off whoever that bitch was on the other side, but decided against it. She might be someone important.

Duncan's blue eyes widened slightly as he realized that it was Heather standing in the doorway, clad in her skimpy halter top and shorts despite the cold weather. And he regretted having opened the door in the first place.

"Duncan?" Heather asked, eyes narrowed.

"Heather," Duncan said, opening the door wider so that the long-legged girl could get through. "Fancy meeting you here."

"I suppose I could say the same for you," Heather said coolly, rubbing her slim forearms. She tossed off her shoes into the corner among the Nikes and Converses of the guys.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Duncan asked, walking back into the living room, looking over his shoulder at Heather.

"I came over to see how you guys were doing," Heather said imperiously.

"What are you, our mother?" Duncan asked dryly, flopping back down into his seat on the sofa.

Heather regarded Duncan for a moment, and then rolled her eyes.

Like Courtney, Duncan bothered Heather on a daily basis, and they had their usual exchange of blows.

Unlike Courtney, Duncan fought with Heather, not because he enjoyed her company, but because he, straight up, didn't like her. Duncan wasn't too fond of someone as bitchy as Heather, really.

There were murmurs of greeting from the guys as Heather entered the room. Some of the guys looked slightly uncomfortable at Heather's aura. Owen, for example, sweated profusely whenever he was within close proximity of Heather. And it wasn't because he liked her, either.

"Oh, Heather, I didn't know you were gonna come," Trent said, standing up, one hand scruffing the back of his head. "You, uh, you need something?"

"I just came over to check up on how your party decorations were coming along," she replied sweetly, checking her gleaming ruby red cuticles. "Looks great, Trent."

Trent smiled slightly. "Thanks. I was hoping you'd like it."

Heather plopped herself between Geoff and Duncan, her shapely legs in prominent view.

The seductive scent of wildflowers and raspberry greeted Duncan as the raven-haired girl seated herself next to him.

The delinquent scrunched his nose, Heather's perfume overwhelming his senses.

Duncan himself preferred Courtney's subtle scent of peaches and sweet pea much more.

Of course, compared to every other girl Duncan knew, he preferred Courtney over them. Except in the case of Lindsay's boobs. Then he had to say Lindsay beat Courtney, hands down.

But that was a different story.

"Hey, Heather," Geoff said cheerfully, swinging a friendly arm around Heather's shoulders. "You hanging out with us today?"

Heather smiled flirtily. "Well, since I have nothing else left to do..."

"What? Run out of people to talk about behind their backs, Heather?" Duncan asked loudly, rolling his eyes.

Heather narrowed her eyes. "Get bent, Duncan."

Duncan scowled.

Inevitably, he and Heather have been on pretty bad terms since he made that first snipe on her when she dissed his attitude.

But it wasn't his fault. Heather just had a bad personality. Guys liked her simply because she was, yes, hot.

Even _he_ thought she was good-looking until he got a real good whiff of her attitude. Yeah, turned him off real fast.

"Guys," Geoff said hastily, moving between Duncan and Heather, who looked ready to fight. "Let's not kill the mood here! We're all friends, right?" He threw both his arms around Heather and Duncan, looking expectantly at the two.

Duncan rolled his eyes in an exasperated manner. "Whatever."

"Let's not forget the criminal started it, Geoff," Heather said, tossing back her silky black hair.

"Aww, Duncan's no criminal, Heather," Owen said loyally on Duncan's behalf. "He's just tough, that's all. Right, Duncan?"

Duncan made a sound that crossed between a snort and a scoff.

Heather crossed her arms and looked haughtily in the opposite direction.

"I don't really care, Owen," she said, rolling her eyes.

But the raven-haired beauty said nothing more.

Many of the guys around the room exhaled.

Apparently, that meant Heather had given up the fight.

Trent held up the remote and the volume of the game turned back on. "Let's just play Halo 3, shall we?" he said weakly, obviously uncomfortable at the bad aura emanating from both Heather and Duncan.

"That game is so overrated," Heather said disdainfully. "It's completely pointless."

"It's fun, though," DJ said earnestly, proffering his controller over to Heather. "Wanna give it a try?"

Heather's top lip curled in disgust. "Ugh. No. I don't want to lose half of my IQ playing that."

"Not much to lose on your case, sweetheart," Duncan said wryly.

DJ shot Duncan a look.

"What?" Duncan protested. "Come on, dude, it was _right there! _I couldn't help myself!"

Heather's lips were pursed. She looked ready to jump on him.

Okay, fine. So maybe he _did_ start most of the fights with Heather. But he couldn't help himself. It was like she was just begging him to insult her.

"Guys," Geoff said in a strained voice. "We're gonna party later! Let's just chill and be chill."

Duncan inwardly rolled his eyes at his friend's words. Geoff could never see the bad in anyone.

"Speaking of parties," Heather said, shaking off Duncan's insult with a dainty shake of her head, "did you know that Courtney-" Duncan visibly snapped to attention "---is coming to your party, Trent?"

"Yeah, I heard," Trent said, flashing Duncan a grin.

"She specifically called _me_ to help her choose an outfit," Heather said a bit proudly.

Duncan frowned. Courtney asked someone like Heather for help?

"Wait," the delinquent said, propping his elbow on the armrest, "Courtney called _you_ to help her find an outfit?"

"That's right," Heather replied, smirking. "I got her all dressed up for Trent's party. But, uh," the raven-haired girl looked Duncan up and down in dissatisfaction, "it's a shame she's going with you."

"Courtney didn't tell you she was going with Duncan, did she?" DJ cut in before Duncan could give a retort. "I mean, she was pretty keen to hide that fact." The Jamaican boy shot Duncan an apologetic look. "No offense, man."

"None taken," Duncan gritted out.

"Oh, well, Courtney didn't tell me herself," Heather said, shrugging. "But not like it matters. I mean, come on. I know people. And some of them overheard Mr. Delinquent over here blackmailing Courtney into going with him."

"It wasn't blackmail," Duncan snapped. "And besides, Princess wanted to go with me. You could just tell."

"You've got a pet name for her, too?" Heather said, smirking. "How cute."

Duncan mentally slapped himself.

Damn. He had to stop calling her Princess in front of everyone.

But he couldn't help it. It was second nature for Duncan to call Courtney Princess now.

"Well, it's high time she went to a party, anyway," Heather said, playing with a lock of her hair. "I mean, this party is gonna be pretty big. That interesting point aside, is there going to be pina coladas like last time, Trent?"

"Hell, yeah. I have my own bartender," Trent said, grinning. "There's also gonna be a DJ. I had to book almost two months ahead of time to get the dude."

"And don't forget the state of the art speakers and those lights that you rented from that company," DJ added. "Cost you a couple grand, didn't it?"

"It's worth it, man," Trent said, grinning. "You've gotta hear it to believe how good it is. The surround sound is first-rate."

"How about the food, Trent?" Owen asked, a gleam coming into his eyes. "Is it gonna be as good as last year's?"

"Even better," Trent assured, hitting knuckles with Owen. "I paid good money for my caterer."

"Let's not forget the drinks, men," Duncan said, pointedly ignoring Heather's growl. "Tequila, anyone?"

There were cheers resounding around the room.

"Guys," Geoff said, throwing his arms around Duncan and Heather, "I get the feeling that this party is gonna go down in the _history_ of parties."

"_Sometimes it's a form of love just to talk to somebody that you have nothing in common with and still be fascinated by their presence." -David Byrne_

**A/N: Ooh, so now we know that Heather seems to actually –gasp- like Courtney! You see, I've noticed in Total Drama Island that the only girl that Heather never seemed to have a problem with or had a bite at was Courtney. So I've decided to incorporate it in this book. So, guys, Heather is not the bad guy here. And, you will see an OC character next chapter; and I've already decided on my love SQUARE. :D And guys, thanks for the reviews! It made me happy. And the quotes are AWESOME. btw, you should notice by now that Courtney is pretty rich. yeahh, she's high-end material. I dunno. Courtney looks like those rich girls to mexD **

**Shout outs to: CartoonFreak888 for giving me awesome quotes, London Romance for giving the best reviews known to man, and everyone else that reviewed me, especially those faithful readers that review each chapter! I am thankful to you all and, guys, it just makes my day to know that some people out there appreciate my stories! My sister calls them stupid:p**


	10. Her New Family

Chapter 10: Her New Family

**Disclaimer: TDI and all of its characters are not mine. Unfortunately. **

"_We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love. " Author Unknown_

"I don't see Dad," Courtney said agitatedly, scuffing her pumps on the smooth concrete of the floor.

The two siblings were in an expensive restaurant, eating alfresco underneath the gently rippling umbrella.

There were crowds of people chatting demurely about the two and there were several violinists playing classics in the corner. The smell of the Italian food wafted through the air, the savory aroma of spices and herbs tingling the senses. But despite the soothing atmosphere, all Courtney could think about was her father.

He was already fifteen minutes late.

"Maybe there's traffic," James suggested. "It _is _pretty busy in Manhattan at this time of day."

Courtney didn't reply. Thoughts ran through her mind.

Maybe he wasn't going to come at all.

And she started to doubt herself. Maybe going was a bad idea.

"I don't know, James," Courtney said tensely. "I don't think I want to see him anymore. I'm getting second thoughts. Maybe…" The brunette started talking really fast. "Maybe I should just go. Yes, I'll just go. I mean, tell him I said hi, though, okay? And, and ask him how he's doing, and tell him that I really wanted to go but I couldn't, and---"

Courtney made to stand up, but James spoke up, his tone final. "Sit your ass down, Courtney. I didn't go through all this for nothing."

Courtney immediately sat back down, her sisterly obedience to her brother giving in.

"Look," James sighed. "You haven't seen him for almost a year. It's gonna be weird at first, but Courtney, just chill. Everything's gonna be cool, okay?"

"I am not going to chill," Courtney said shrilly. "I mean, he probably knows I hated his guts since he left Mom. Do you have any idea how awkward it's going to be---"

"He's here!" James said suddenly, his mouth already curving into a huge smile. Her brother had his arm halfway into the air to show their father over.

But then, something horrible happened.

The smile on James' face slipped off and he slowly lowered his arm.

Courtney, watching her brother's facial expressions intently, immediately knew that something was very, very wrong.

"What, James?" Courtney hissed, leaning forward. "What is it?"

But James did not reply.

Courtney, impatient, turned around in her seat, and suddenly felt sick to the stomach as she saw the sight that greeted her.

Her father was walking towards them, a beam on his face. There was a waiter trailing beside him, leading him to where Courtney and James sat.

But that wasn't the problem. The problem was the woman behind their father, her dazzling smile focused on Courtney and James.

And what made it worse was the fact that the two were holding hands.

"_All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." -Arthur Schopenhauer_

"James," Courtney said in a cracked whisper, eyes not moving from her father and the woman once. "Dad didn't mention anything about…"

"No," James said hoarsely. "Not at all."

Even though their parents had been divorced for more than a year already, Courtney still felt a feeling of queasiness and anger when she thought about her father with another woman.

Their own mother still hadn't moved on.

And what made Courtney even angrier was the fact that the woman was, simply put, _beautiful._ She looked to be mid-thirties. Her hair was a russet brown, thick and glossy, curled into loose waves and tumbling over her shoulders. Her lips were ruby red and her teeth were blindingly white. Courtney could make out the hazel of the woman's eyes in the sun.

And she looked expensive. Jewelry glittered on her throat, finger, ear and wrist, and just by the way she walked alone showed that she was a successful and confident woman.

She was around Mom's age and dressed in the same expensive designer suits, and they both looked elegant. But her face and their mother's face held a lot of differences. This woman, though Courtney hated to admit it, was prettier than their mother.

And to Courtney, their mother was already quite pretty.

But as if that wasn't enough, another shock soon came the siblings' way.

Courtney hadn't noticed it before, but trailing behind her father and the woman were two kids, both around Courtney's age.

They were, Courtney assumed, the woman's. From what she could see, there was a boy and a girl. And there was something remarkably special about their appearance, because from Courtney observed, every single person's head turned when the duo walked by.

Courtney leaned back slightly to view the girl's features.

Her breath caught in her throat when she saw the girl.

For one crazy, wild moment, Courtney thought that it was Heather, because this newcomer had long, glossy black hair similar to hers. But upon closer inspection, Courtney decided, with a huge sigh of relief, that it was not the queen bee of Independence high.

Whoever it was, though, was most certainly much, much prettier than Heather. And Heather was considered the beauty of the school.

The girl looked sullen and bored, but beautifully so. She was tall and slim, and extraordinarily beautiful. Her jet-black hair, each strand straight and flawless, cascaded down her shoulders; in the sun, her sleek, silky locks almost looked blue.

She wore an expensive-looking, sleeveless, gauzy white blouse and tight dark skinny jeans. She had a velvety pale pink Juicy Couture bag slung over her shoulder, the charms and gems dangling from the bag glittering in the sun. Her shoes were these gorgeous light pink high heels with small polka-dot ribbons on the front. It looked very high-end material.

Courtney found herself eyeing the girl's heels with envy. They looked like Prada. Or maybe Christian Dior. Or was it Fendi?

Either way, Courtney wanted those shoes.

The girl looked up and suddenly made eye contact with Courtney for a moment or two. Her eyes were astonishing. They were this iridescent blue-gray color, and even from this distance, Courtney could see that they were remarkably clear and mirror-like. And her features were perfect. Could anyone have higher cheekbones than her? And the perfect oval shape of her lovely face was startling.

The girl's perfectly molded lips were glossy and pale pink, and her skin was smooth like alabaster. She was, undeniably, indisputably, irrefutably beautiful.

But for the moment, this beautiful stranger looked cold and almost forbidding.

Perhaps it was because Courtney had the same stiff expression on her face that rendered the girl's attitude. But whatever the reason, Courtney didn't like it.

The raven-haired girl regarded Courtney for a moment, and then looked away, tucking her silken locks behind her ear. Three diamonds glittered on her earlobe.

You can imagine how odd Courtney felt when she saw her father look back over his shoulder and say something to the pretty girl.

There was a smile on Mr. Mann's face as he told her something, and Courtney felt a stab in her chest when she saw that the girl smiled back.

The brunette then decided, on the spot, that she hated the girl.

It was like an instinctive sense of territory. Despite the fact that Courtney hated her father the past year or so, he was still _her _father. For some reason, Courtney saw this girl as her rival.

Seething now, Courtney's eyes fell upon the tall teenage boy behind the girl. Even though she could only make out his profile, Courtney got the feeling that he was gorgeous. If his mother was beautiful, and his sister was beautiful, what were the chances that he wasn't beautiful himself?

True to her instincts, the boy was attractive. Stunningly attractive, actually, just like his sister and his mother. His jaw line was magnificently chiseled, his nose every bit as perfect as his sister's. The boy's jet-black hair was supermodel worthy, every lock of it tousled and styled to perfection.

His chest was breathtakingly tight against his shirt; Courtney could make out the faint outlines of his abs even from where she was sitting.

But for some reason… Courtney leaned further in her seat, eyes squinted. Maybe the light was playing tricks on her, but this guy looked remarkably like…

She let out an audible gasp.

It was that popular senior that used to go out with Heather.

Justin.

"_Insanity is often the logic of an accurate mind overtasked." – Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr._

Courtney's mind raced as she tried to process the information.

_Justin._

She couldn't believe it. Justin's mom was dating her dad?

_**Justin.**_

Oh. My. God. If they married, then… Courtney's mind frantically went into overdrive. It would mean that they would be related!

And hard as she tried, Courtney couldn't tear her gaze away from the tanned model.

Justin didn't catch the brunette's gaze at first; he was muttering something to his pretty sister. But then he raised his glorious head, met Courtney's stare straight on, and stopped dead in his track.

Courtney's mouth opened slightly, her insides squirming at the eye contact. But she couldn't look away.

Justin stared back at her, his frosty blue eyes wide in astonishment. He seemed to mouth, his face frozen in astonishment, "Courtney?"

Courtney looked at Justin helplessly, not knowing what to say.

She got the feeling that he would've stood there, staring at her for God knows how long, if his sister didn't pull at him and forced him to continue the trek towards Courtney's table.

But even then, Justin still stared at Courtney, his eyes wide and mouth opened stupidly.

Courtney didn't meet Justin's gaze. She was now looking determinedly at her father, who still had that ridiculously wide grin on his face.

"James," Courtney said, trying her best not to move her lips, "That guy."

James didn't look at Courtney, but stared straight ahead. "What about him?" he asked through clenched teeth. He, too, was trying his best not to move his lips.

"I know him," Courtney whispered. "He goes to my school."

"Bullshit," James shot back, covering his mouth with his hands. James' vivid green eyes were wide as he discreetly looked at Courtney.

"No, I'm not," Courtney said, talking quickly now. "He's a senior, his name's Justin, I have three classes with him!"

"Damn, talk about crazy," James groaned in his hand. "That's unbelievable."

Soon enough, their father and his 'family' came to a stop in front of James and Courtney.

"Please, take your time. I'll come around and take your orders in a few moments," the waiter said, bowing before he headed off. He seemed to eye the woman, Justin and the girl with incredulous disbelief.

Of course, anyone would. All three of them were breathtakingly beautiful. You just don't see people in a group like that. One of them alone could make you blind with their beauty.

"Courtney, James," Mr. Mann breathed, looking exhilarated at finally seeing his kids again. "I've missed you guys!"

James stood up, smiling weakly as he hugged his father. Mr. Mann let go of James and looked down at Courtney.

"You gonna give your old man a hug?" Mr. Mann said, smiling warmly as he looked down at Courtney.

She hesitantly stood up, refusing to meet her father's eye, and gingerly wrapped her arms around his waist.

He returned her hug much more heartily.

The embrace Mr. Mann gave Courtney was tight. He almost didn't seem to want to let go as he pressed her against his chest.

"I've missed you, CeeCee," Mr. Mann sighed, using the pet name that he always called her when she was a little girl. "It's been so long."

But the remembrance of her dead nickname and the woody scent of her father's cologne made Courtney so sick with pain and memories that she hastily let go and sat herself down into her seat.

"Everyone, please, sit down," James said, politely standing up and pulling out a seat for the pretty girl and the woman. "We're, uh, we're very pleased to meet you all."

He moved over to where Courtney was sitting and sat beside her instead. Justin took James' spot, which meant that he and Courtney were sitting direction across from each other.

Despite the circumstances, the smile that Justin gave Courtney was still dazzling.

Courtney mustered up a smile, but she feared that the best she could possibly do was a contorted grimace.

"Courtney, James," Mr. Mann said, once everyone was seated, "I wanted to see you here today because, well," he smiled at his girlfriend, "I wanted you to meet some people who are very important to me." Mr. Mann put his arm around the woman, "Guys, this is my fiancée, Nancy."

There was a stunned silence from Courtney and James, even though they already had the sneaking suspicion.

"Hello, you guys," Nancy said sweetly, her tone innocent and girly.

Courtney took the initiative and smiled weakly. "Hello."

Nancy beamed back.

"And this is Nancy's kids. They're both around your age, Courtney." Mr. Mann leaned forward and gestured at Justin, "This is Justin, he goes to your high school, Court', so I'm assuming you guys already know each other?"

"Yes," Courtney said. But she didn't elaborate.

Justin was gazing intently at Courtney, but she didn't meet his stare.

They knew each other, yes. But they never spoke to one another. Justin was in a whole different world than Courtney's. And there was the fact that he was a senior.

"And, that," Mr. Mann nodded at the pretty girl next to Justin, "is Kristina. She doesn't go to your school yet, Courtney, but she's transferring next week. She's very excited. You guys can be friends! You are both in the 10th grade after all."

Courtney managed a small smile at Kristina, who returned it just so. She didn't seem so excited at the prospect of being friends with Courtney, and truthfully, Courtney felt the same way.

"That's great, Dad," Courtney said quietly, taking a sip of her drink. "Great."

"So, uh, when you guys getting married?" James asked, his voice a little bit higher than usual.

Courtney noticed that beneath the table, James was twisting and pulling at his napkin. Knowing her brother, that meant that he was very angry.

"We're planning our wedding to be mid-March," Mr. Mann's smile grew wider. "And, well, Nancy had a wonderful idea for our wedding." He looked at his fiancée, waiting for her to say something.

Courtney turned to look at Nancy, feeling her blood boiling already at the sight of the woman.

"Well, I was thinking that it would be the most wonderful thing in the world," Nancy started, her eyes shining.

"Wonderful," James said flatly.

Nancy smiled at James, not noticing his tone. "Yes, it would be the most wonderful thing ever if you two would be able to come to the wedding and, Courtney, I would love for you to be my maid of honor."

Courtney choked on her drink. Wiping away the liquid with the back of her hand, Courtney stared at Nancy, face aghast. "Maid of honor?"

"Yes!" Nancy gushed, nodding vigorously, her smile so wide now, it looked like it could crack her face.

Courtney wanted so badly to say no, to throw the offer back in her face and tell the woman that she wanted nothing to do with the wedding. She hardly knew the woman. It was revolting, the idea of her being Nancy's maid of honor.

But instead of saying all the thoughts she had cluttered in her mind, Courtney swallowed down her words like it was bile, and smiled sweetly at Nancy, saying as primly as possible, "That would be an honor, Nancy. I would love to be your maid of honor."

Nancy beamed at Courtney, seeming genuinely happy.

Courtney felt a small brush against her hand and saw that James had his hand over hers. He squeezed it in a comforting sort of way, and smiled at her.

Courtney gave a tiny smile back, thankful for her brother's support.

"And James," Mr. Mann said, looking at his son with proud eyes, "Nancy and I would love it if you could be my best man."

James' hand flew to the back of his head, a gesture he always did when he was uncomfortable.

Already his meticulously styled hair was becoming tousled.

"I… Well, if that's okay with Justin," James said, trying to smile.

"Oh, no, man, it's all cool," Justin said, leaning back in his seat and smiling at James. "You should be the best man. He's your dad after all."

Justin looked at Courtney and smiled.

She pretended not to see it.

"Well, it's decided, then," Mr. Mann said, rubbing his hands together. "Courtney, James, you are going to be a huge part of this wedding." He smiled broadly at the both of them. "You guys don't know how happy Nancy and I are at this."

"I am, too, Dad," Courtney said half-heartedly, playing with her locks.

"Yeah," James added, "And, Dad?"

"Hm?" Mr. Mann said, smiling expectantly at his son.

"Congratulations," said James, smiling tightly. "We're both really happy for you and Nancy."

Nancy smiled warmly at James. "You're such a sweetie, James. Thank you."

James nodded at Kristina and Justin, grinning. "And I'm glad you guys are gonna be part of the Mann family, too."

Kristina offered James a smile, her face becoming even more hideously beautiful.

It made Courtney's insides twist to think that these two stunningly attractive people were going to be her stepsiblings.

And then there was Nancy, her stepmother.

But Courtney would never acknowledge the woman as her stepmother. The very idea of it was repulsive.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Mr. Mann said, taking an intricate envelope out of his breast pocket, "This is for your mother."

The smile on Nancy's face faltered slightly. No one else seemed to notice, but Courtney did.

"What is it?" James asked, taking the envelope and looking it over.

"It's our wedding invitation," Mr. Mann said, that smile still plastered on his face. "We hope that she can come."

Courtney looked at the envelope out of the corner of her eyes, her lips tightening.

James was looking down at the envelope, his expression unreadable. He turned his head ever so slightly to catch Courtney's gaze.

Obviously, they were both asking the same thing.

Was their father trying to goad their mother? Was he trying to rub it in her face that he had clearly moved on?

Courtney knew that her father probably sent this invitation just to be polite, but in her eyes, she saw it as a taunt.

How would her mother feel when she reads the invitation?

Courtney turned her head sharply to look at her father, her tongue full of cutting words.

But before anything could be said, Mr. Mann gestured for a waiter to come over.

"Yeah, we're ready to take our orders now," he said, smiling slightly at Courtney. "You know what you want, sweetie?"

Courtney forced a smile on her face and said sweetly, "Yes. I know _exactly_ what I want."

But what she wanted would probably land her in jail.

_"'Light fuse and get away' may work for a Roman candle, but not so much for the wrath of a woman scorned." -Jeph Jacques_

Courtney couldn't take the tension at the table much longer as they all waited for their orders to arrive.

She needed to get out.

"You know what, there's this really cute pastry shop down the street," Courtney said, standing up, feeling slightly uncomfortable as everyone's head turned up to watch her, "I've been meaning to go and get something there; Mom's been dying to try this éclair."

Courtney saw the odd look that James was giving her. She nudged at him meaningfully underneath the table.

"Oh, yeah," James said immediately. "Éclair. Mom's been wanting it. So, uh," he looked at Courtney.

Courtney smiled sweetly at her father and Nancy. "I'll just be a moment."

"Of course," Mr. Mann said cheerily. "And, Justin," he nodded at the gorgeous teen seated across Courtney.

"Go with Courtney."

Courtney's heart dropped and a frown started to climb on her face. Courtney noticed that Kristina was staring at her and the brunette quickly wiped it off. Hopefully no one else noticed her reaction.

Justin wordlessly stood up.

"Here's twenty," Mr. Mann said, taking out a bill from his wallet. "Buy something for all of us and pay for Courtney's orders, too."

"Sure," Justin said, taking the cash from Mr. Mann. He nodded his head at Courtney. "Come on, Courtney." He smiled.

Courtney chewed her lips angrily. She hated how friendly Justin was being. He was totally being a fake. But then again, someone as beautiful like him must be a fake.

He probably disliked her, too.

They've never spoken a word to each other in school before, except in passing when he would ask her for help on a math question or two, and here they were, practically family.

How ironic.

"_Nancy Astor:__ "If you were my husband, Winston, I should flavour your coffee with poison."  
__Winston Churchill:__ "If I were your husband, madam, I should drink it."_

"So, what's this pastry shop called?" Justin asked conversationally as the two headed down the block.

"Chocolate-Glazed," Courtney said flatly. "It's a French-inspired restaurant."

"That's cool," Justin said, smiling.

Courtney didn't say anything back.

The beautiful view of Manhattan was ruined by the golden Adonis walking beside her.

That, of course, made no sense, because Justin made everything more beautiful, but Courtney was pissed.

Nothing really made sense when Courtney was pissed.

"So, what's your favorite sort of dessert?" Justin said bravely, taking another stab at conversation. "I like crème brulee; it's pretty good."

Courtney snapped at that moment.

She turned on her heel, looked Justin straight in the eye, and said bluntly, her tone cutting, "How can you act like that?"

Justin blinked, looking gorgeously confused, "Like what?"

"Like that! Talking about… about _crème brulee_ while_ this_ is happening!" Courtney spluttered, feeling more and more lost at the moment. "Your _mom _is going to marry my _dad_; we're going to be step-siblings, for God's sake! I mean, we go to the same school and… and…"

Courtney ran a hand through her hair, frustrated at Justin's lack of reaction.

He was merely looking down at her, blinking his beautiful eyelashes.

"Don't you feel even _slightly_ weird?" Courtney asked desperately.

Justin shook his head. "No, not really." He flashed a dazzling smile at her. "I've had worse situations."

Courtney stared at him, mouth agape. "You cannot be serious," she said slowly. "You're out of your mind. You're telling me that you're not even _slightly_ affected by the fact that your mom is marrying my dad?"

"I think it's cool," Justin said, shrugging. "I mean, _you're_ cool. Your brother's pretty cool. Your dad's okay." He smiled at her. "To be honest, I'm kind of excited that we're gonna be part of the same family."

Courtney could not find a reply to that.

Her eyes were wide, and her mouth was still hanging open.

This guy was not for real.

Justin nicked at Courtney's jaw gently, closing it. "Come on, now. Don't be like that. We can get to know each other."

Courtney turned her head to look incredulously at Justin.

"You want to give me your number? We can chill," Justin offered, taking out his sleek iPhone.

Courtney's lip curled disdainfully at the thought, but purely because she was being polite, she gave Justin her number and took his.

Not like as if she would ever call him. Forget that.

"You're cute," Justin said as he looked at Courtney, his eyes sparkling in the sun. His tone was amazingly casual. "We should go out sometime. Get to really know each other. I mean, we _are_ going to be family." He quirked a flirty eyebrow at her and edged a bit closer.

Oh, _god._

She wasn't blushing, was she?

All ill feelings towards Justin suddenly melted away and a sort of gooeyness one succumbed to when around someone like Justin enveloped the C.I.T.

Courtney gave a nervous chuckle, the subtle aroma of Justin's cologne overwhelming her senses. "Oh. Yeah. Sure. Bring, um, bring your sister along, too."

Justin smirked at her, and said in a low voice, tone seductive, "I was thinking that it could be just you and me."

Courtney tore her gaze away from Justin's icy blue one.

"That certainly wasn't what I was thinking," Courtney said in a high-pitched voice, trying to keep calm. Her heart was trying to bust out of her chest, it seemed.

Justin chuckled.

Courtney looked away, blowing out a breath. Her heart was still racing.

And she was feeling very strange. Very, very strange.

Maybe it was because of the fact that Justin was _insanely_ hot that was making her feel this way. Or maybe it was because the way his perfectly beautiful smile dazzled in the sun, or the way his wintery sea blue eyes glinted in the sun.

Or maybe…

Maybe it was because while all this was happening between her and Justin, a certain delinquent with green spikes kept popping up in the back of her mind, his impudent smirk clear and vivid.

And that thought scared Courtney.

A lot.

"_Infantile love follows the principle: "I love because I am loved."  
Mature love follows the principle: "I am loved because I love."  
Immature love says: "I love you because I need you."  
Mature love says: "I need you because I love you."- Erich Fromm_

"I can't believe he actually did that!" James growled, his knuckles white as he clutched the steering wheel. "I mean, what the hell was he thinking? I thought he just wanted to catch up and talk, and here he comes bringing that woman and the kids!"

Disgust dripped from James's voice.

Courtney was quiet as she stared out the car's window.

She hadn't spoken a word since they left the restaurant**. **There was an odd feeling floating in her stomach, like as if she wasn't even awake.

Courtney had felt dream-like and disjointed as she hugged Nancy and her father, said goodbye to Justin and Kristina, and walked out the restaurant calmly with her brother.

Oddly enough, she didn't feel angry or sad or, well, anything. That was just it. She didn't feel anything at all. It was like as if her whole body had numbed up and was incapable of feeling anything.

"Court'?" James asked, looking at Courtney concernedly. "You okay?"

Courtney didn't look her brother in the eyes. "Oh. Yeah." She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ears. "I was just thinking."

"About what?"

Courtney paused for a moment, staring down at her lap.

"Courtney?" James asked, waiting for his sister's response. "You still there?"

Suddenly, Courtney looked up, an odd gleam in her eyes, and she said, a slight tremor in her voice, "I was just thinking about the party tonight."

A tight smile came on her lips, and James thought for a moment that maybe Courtney's eyes were a little wet.

But when she turned to look at James, there was no trace of tears in her glass green eyes.

Courtney looked at her brother for a long while before finally saying, her voice tight despite her smile, "I think it's going to be fun. I'm pretty excited."

And that was when James knew that something was terribly wrong.

"_I hate you."_

"_That's good. Hate is a passionate emotion." -Twilight_

Duncan:

Duncan held up a pretty charm bracelet in the air, watching the dangling gems glisten in the light.

Princess would like this sort of crap, Duncan thought, feeling his stomach lurch already at the price tag. It was three hundred and fifty-six dollars, and apparently, it was made in Italy. This, for some reason, made it much more expensive.

The store clerk was watching Duncan apprehensively, and he felt a twisted sort of pride in that. Everyone was scared of him. That was something you should be proud of.

"You're not gonna steal that, are you?" Heather said, her voice dripping with disgust as she came up behind Duncan.

"No, of course not," Duncan scoffed. "Who do you think I am?"

"A criminal?" Heather quipped, tucking her long black hair behind her ears. She grabbed the bracelet from Duncan's hands and examined it in the light. Then she checked the price tag.

"It's nice, but Courtney's tastes are _way _more expensive than that," Heather said, tossing the charm back into Duncan's hands. "Have you seen some of that stuff she wears? Those huge diamond earrings of hers? It's from Harry Winston. Costs about two thousand bucks a stud."

Duncan winced as he thought of the prices of jewelry at that Harry Winston store on 5th Avenue. His mother always walked by there just to look at the jewelry.

"Who said that I was gonna buy Princess anything?" he snapped, putting the bracelet back on its rack.

"Fine, whatever," Heather said, tossing back her hair.

Duncan rolled his eyes as he watched the raven-haired girl walk away to Geoff and Trent who were messing around with some cologne.

Man. Duncan ran a hand through his hair.

Even hanging out at the mall was a hassle with Heather. She was so annoying. And this was supposed to be the _guys'_ day to hang out.

The only good thing about her was that she was hot.

Duncan turned and bumped into a girl.

All he could see was the top of her glossy back head. She stumbled for a second, making a little gasp.

"Oops, sorry," he said, steadying the girl by her shoulder. "Shouldn't sneak up behind people like that, babe."

The girl looked up, and suddenly, Duncan felt an odd feathery feeling in his chest.

This chick was beautiful. She wasn't just hot. She was _beautiful._

She looked as unnaturally beautiful as that Justin guy.

"_Damn!_ You're hot," Duncan said before he could stop himself. But, of course, Duncan wasn't embarrassed.

He'd said that to hundreds of other girls.

Instead of looking surprised and pleased like most other girls would, this chick didn't even seem fazed.

Apparently, she'd gotten that comment many times already.

She smiled coyly. "I could say the same for you."

Her eyes traveled up and down Duncan, and from how she was smiling, Duncan could tell she liked what she saw.

Of course, who didn't? Duncan knew he was hot. People always said he looked like Ashton Kutcher, which was a plus.

"Really?" Duncan said, smiling suavely now. Flirtation mode was on. "So what's your name, babe?"

"Kristina," she said sweetly, her fingers playing along her neck now. "And what's yours?"

"Duncan," he replied, smiling slightly.

"You go to high school, Duncan?" Kristina asked, fluttering her eyelids up at Duncan.

"Do you?" he asked back, his laidback expression set on his face.

Kristina played with a silky strand of her hair. Duncan was uncomfortably reminded of Heather at this point; the two chicks' hair was very much alike.

"I'm going to go to Independence High," she started, but at this fact, Duncan visibly stood up straighter.

"No kidding?" he asked, grinning. "I go there, too. You a junior?"

Kristina nodded, her green eyes alight. "Oh, wow, that's so cool!" she gushed. "We can totally hang out sometimes." Her glossy lips curved into a smile. "You can show me around."

Duncan smiled back. "Hey, babe, no sweat. I'll show you around anytime."

"You want my number?" Kristina offered, that enchanting smile still on her lips. "We can hook up sometimes."

For some reason, a certain petite C.I.T kept popping up in Duncan's head as he and Kristina exchanged phone numbers.

Damn, what the hell was he doing thinking about Courtney? Here was a totally hot babe wanting his number, and all he could think about was that Princess?

Duncan shook his head.

If this was Duncan in his normal state, he would be thinking of different ways to get this girl into bed with him. He would _not_ be thinking of another girl.

Something was wrong with him lately.

"I'll call you sometimes," Kristina said, smiling at Duncan. "You can show me around the school when I get there."

"It's a date, then, babe," Duncan said, winking at the raven-haired beauty before walking away.

_Oh my god, Duncan, what does she see in you? You're a complete idiot!_

He could almost hear Princess saying that.

Damn. Duncan mentally slapped himself. He was still thinking about her.

And no matter how much he tried, he couldn't stop.

"_I love you like crazy, baby  
'Cuz I'd go crazy without you." -Pixie Foudre_

Courtney:

"Wait, so you're actually going to a party?" James asked, following his sister up to her room.

Their mother was not home yet, thankfully.

James didn't want to tell her how their day went.

"Yes," Courtney replied, walking into her huge walk-in closet and coming back out holding an outfit that made James cringe. "Tonight. Bridgette is picking me up. You like my party outfit?"

"Oh, god, Courtney, you're not actually wearing that, are you?" James groaned, his eyes latched on the hot pink shorts his sister held. "And the halter top?"

Courtney looked at the shorts and then back up at her brother, who looked aghast. She frowned, "I see nothing wrong with this outfit."

"Yeah, if you're trying to be a stripper," James snorted.

Of course, the outfit wasn't that extreme, but James was firmly in his brotherly mode as of the moment.

"Well, Mom saw the outfit, and she thinks it's fine," Courtney said, rolling her eyes. "And I think it's cute."

James stared at Courtney, an odd look in his eyes. "Courtney, something's wrong. You're not like this."

Courtney only responded by rummaging through her large mahogany jewelry box, talking like as if James had said nothing, "You think I should wear this necklace, James? Or this one?"

She held up a necklace with a dangling pink and gold frosted Venetian heart in one hand and a silver charm toggle one in the other.

"I think the one with the pink goes much better with the shorts, but this charm one looks really nice with my top," she continued, looking at both of them thoughtfully.

James gazed at Courtney, an understanding expression on his features. He was silent for a moment, and then finally said, his voice quiet, "It's Dad, isn't it? You're upset about him, aren't you?"

Courtney didn't meet James's eyes. Her expression was unreadable as she looked over two diamond earrings.

"What are you talking about, James?" she asked lightly, playing with the pair of dangling diamond earrings their father had gotten for her on Christmas a year ago.

James's gaze landed on the earrings. Dad had given those Tiffany & Co earrings to Courtney last year. That was the last Christmas they shared together as a family before he left.

He remembered Mom and Dad having a whispered conversation over the price of the earrings the day before he bought them, how Courtney was too young to have such expensive jewelry. Those earrings had cost their father about six thousand bucks, but he didn't even care. He loved Courtney that much. And Courtney had loved him. And the earrings.

James wondered how Courtney felt now, looking at the sparkling pair of jewels.

"You know what I'm talking about, Cee," James said, his tone low.

"I don't," Courtney said simply, holding up the dangly earrings in the afternoon sun. "I'm not upset, James." She flashed her brother a smile. "I feel fine."

And with that, she tossed the earrings carelessly back into the jewelry box, her expression suddenly cool and frosty. The diamonds glinted in the sun's light, almost like as if it was beckoning Courtney back, but she closed the lid on it resolutely.

And despite Courtney's words, James knew from her actions that she was definitely not fine.

"_And we have been taught to feel, perhaps too much, the self-suffocating power of our solitude." –Philip Surrender _

**A/N: All right, I promise you guys, the next chapter FOR SURE will have the party! This chapter was just to show you what the love square is gonna bex] haha, shocker; Justin is Courtney's stepbro! :O and Kristina is hitting on Duncan! and guys, thank you for all the quotes! I couldn't use all of them, sadly, but do not fear! If your quote is not in this chapter, it will most likely be in the next one, so don't think I don't appreciate your help! :] I love you all for your support; keep sending in the quotes; they're great! SO READ & REVIEW, GUYS!**

**P.S: Guys, if you watch Korean drmas, you will know that falling in love with a step sibling is NOT an uncommon thing(: So let's not be grossed out here, okay? :D besides, it's not as if they're blood relatedxD**


	11. Anyone Else But Me

**Chapter 11: Anyone Else But Me**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TDI or any of its character(:**

"_Maybe we should develop a Crayola bomb as our next secret weapon. A happiness weapon. A beauty bomb. And every time a crisis developed, we would launch one. It would explode high in the air - explode softly - and send thousands, millions, of little parachutes into the air. Floating down to earth - boxes of Crayolas. And we wouldn't go cheap, either - not little boxes of eight. Boxes of sixty-four, with the sharpener built right in. With silver and gold and copper, magenta and peach and lime, amber and umber and all the rest. And people would smile and get a little funny look on their faces and cover the world with imagination." ~Robert Fulghum_

Courtney:

"Wait, so you're actually going to a party?" James asked, following his sister up to her room.

Their mother was not home yet, thankfully.

James didn't want to tell her how their day went.

"Yes," Courtney replied, walking into her huge walk-in closet and coming back out holding an outfit that made James cringe. "Tonight. Bridgette is picking me up. You like my party outfit?"

"Oh, god, Courtney, you're not actually wearing that, are you?" James groaned, his eyes latched on the hot pink shorts his sister held. "And the halter top?"

Courtney looked at the shorts and then back up at her brother, who looked aghast. She frowned, "I see nothing wrong with this outfit."

"Yeah, if you're trying to be a stripper," James snorted.

Of course, the outfit wasn't that extreme, but James was firmly in his brotherly mode as of the moment.

"Well, Mom saw the outfit, and she thinks it's fine," Courtney said, rolling her eyes. "And I think it's cute."

James stared at Courtney, an odd look in his eyes. "Courtney, something's wrong. You're not like this."

Courtney only responded by rummaging through her large mahogany jewelry box, talking like as if James had said nothing, "You think I should wear this necklace, James? Or this one?"

She held up a necklace with a dangling pink and gold frosted Venetian heart in one hand and a silver charm toggle one in the other.

"I think the one with the pink goes much better with the shorts, but this charm one looks really nice with my top," she continued, looking at both of them thoughtfully.

James gazed at Courtney, an understanding expression on his features. He was silent for a moment, and then finally said, his voice quiet, "It's Dad, isn't it? You're upset about him, aren't you?"

Courtney didn't meet James's eyes. Her expression was unreadable as she looked over two diamond earrings.

"What are you talking about, James?" she asked lightly, playing with the pair of dangling diamond earrings their father had gotten for her on Christmas a year ago.

James's gaze landed on the earrings. Dad had given those Tiffany & Co earrings to Courtney last year. That was the last Christmas they shared together as a family before he left.

He remembered Mom and Dad having a whispered conversation over the price of the earrings the day before he bought them, how Courtney was too young to have such expensive jewelry.

Those earrings had cost their father about five thousand bucks, but he didn't even care. He loved Courtney that much. And Courtney had loved him. And the earrings.

James wondered how Courtney felt now, looking at the sparkling pair of jewels.

"You know what I'm talking about, Cee," James said, his tone low.

"No, I don't," Courtney said simply, holding up the dangly earrings in the afternoon sun. "I'm not upset, James." She flashed her brother a smile. "I feel fine. Honest."

And with that, she tossed the earrings carelessly back into the jewelry box, her expression suddenly cool and frosty. The diamonds glinted in the sun's light, almost like as if it was beckoning Courtney back, but she closed the lid on it resolutely.

Courtney turned to look at James, and her lips twisted into a wry smile.

And despite Courtney's words, James knew from her actions that she was definitely not fine.

"_We tell lies when we are afraid... afraid of what we don't know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us. But every time we tell a lie, the thing that we fear grows stronger." -Tad Williams_

Courtney sat in her room, wrapped in her light pink terry robe, expression flat.

Her fingers ran across the soft, velvety fabric of her robe, but for some reason, its warmth did not comfort her today.

James was right.

She _was _upset. Upset to such an extent that she felt nothing anymore. There was an odd feeling in her chest, like as if something was weighing her down.

The image of Nancy and her kids kept swimming in and out of Courtney's mind, and the bright smile her father had on the whole entire day was nauseating. He was happy. Disgustingly so. And their own mother had not even moved on yet.

A tightness constricted Courtney's throat, but she quickly swallowed it down. It hurt, yes. A lot. But she would not cry. No. No more tears would be shed over her father. Besides, why should she mope around while everyone else had fun?

There were better things at hand. Like the party.

Courtney oddly found herself looking forward to the party tonight. Finally, there would be an outlet for her, where she could just let loose at last. She needed something to take her mind off of her father.

And then she could see Duncan. Duncan had the ability to cheer Courtney up even if he didn't mean to.

There was just something about seeing him now that made her unexplainably happy.

But it wasn't because she liked him. That was unthinkable.

He just made her feel like as if she was a part of something. He made her feel special.

"_You know, I could sneak you out the house, show you what some real fun is."_

"_You gonna be okay until then? I mean, I could come over and hang out if that's what you want." _

The soft light of the sun, the sound of the wind whistling and the birds chirping through the window soon lulled Courtney to sleep.

She needed a nap, anyway. Today's events had driven her to madness.

"_See, the human mind is kind of like... a piñata. When it breaks open, there's a lot of surprises inside. Once you get the piñata perspective, you see that losing your mind can be a peak experience." -Jane Wagner_

Her Blackberry was ringing.

The brunette opened her eyes blearily. What time was it?

Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Courtney leaned over to her bedside table and stared at the Caller ID.

Heather.

Courtney frowned, suddenly wide awake now. Why on earth was Heather calling her?

"Hello?" Courtney said, pressing TALK.

"Courtney!" Heather said cheerfully. "It's Heather."

Courtney ran a hand through her now limp hair. "Oh. Hey, Heather."

"So, are you still going to Trent's party?" Heather quipped.

"Oh," Courtney said, hugging a plush velvet pillow against her chest. "Yes."

"What time are you coming, then?" Heather asked.

"Time?" Courtney blinked.

She hadn't thought about that.

"Yeah," Heather said. You could just hear her eyes rolling.

"Well, um, I'm not sure. I was just gonna wait until Bridgette comes over to pick me up. We were going to go together."

"You should be here around seven-thirtyish. That's when the drinks are going to come in."

Courtney didn't want to think about what kind of 'drinks' were gonna be there. Most certainly not just Sprite.

Heather paused. "And you're gonna wear that outfit we got, right?"

"Of course," Courtney said, looking at the very outfit hanging on the wall.

"Perfect. And you know that you're gonna stay at the party longer than an hour because I--" Heather's voice turned sharp. "Duncan, what the hell are you----" Heather was cut off as a jostling sound was heard.

"Duncan?" Courtney repeated, frowning.

Did Heather say Duncan?

There were grunts and shouts, and Courtney could make out Duncan's voice.

Finally, there was silence.

"Hey, Princess," Duncan greeted on the other end of the line.

"Duncan?" Courtney asked in disbelief. "What are you doing with Heather?"

"Ooh, someone's jealous," Duncan teased.

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. As if."

"Well, anyway, I was wondering if you were gonna, oh, I don't know, back out on me at the last moment," Duncan said airily. "After all. You are my _date_."

He stressed out the last word very delicately.

"I prefer to use the term 'hostage'," Courtney said acidly.

"Yeah, well--- Damn, Heather, hold up! Give me a few more seconds!" Duncan snapped. His voice returned to the phone. "Well, anyway, yeah, I was wondering if I should come pick you up."

Courtney winced at the thought of her mother seeing Duncan pick her up for the party.

"Uh, no thank you, Duncan, it'll be all right. Bridgette is already picking me up. With Geoff."

"Oh." He sounded disappointed. "Damn. I wanted to give you a ride on my---"

"Give me back my phone already, asshole!" Heather's voice sounded in the background. A grunt was heard and some scuffling sounds.

Courtney could make out Geoff faintly, saying something that sounded like, "Guys, come on, stop fighting!"

That was so like Geoff.

But then, a huge thump was heard and the line went dead.

Courtney looked at her Blackberry oddly and then shrugged.

She certainly wasn't going to call Heather back at any chance. Courtney tossed her phone onto the bed and swung her feet onto the hardwood maple floor.

It was already five thirty. Two more hours or so and Bridgette would come pick her up. Might as well get ready now.

Besides. Courtney looked at herself for a moment in the mirror.

She looked away, her eyes narrowed. She didn't think she could stand to be herself for another minute.

"_For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way. Something to be got through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life." -Fr. Alfred D'Souza_

Duncan:

When Duncan finally come home, sporting a bruise on his jaw, courtesy of Heather, he heard noises in the living room.

Uncle Keith, also known as Mr. Devlin of History at Independence High, was lounging on the white chintz couch, grading some papers.

Duncan spied a corner of his paper sticking out of the stack.

C-.

Not bad, Duncan, not bad at all.

Uncle Keith always came over and bunked at Duncan's house. Sometimes it was because he wanted some free food, other times because he was just bored. Most of the time, he just wanted to play on Duncan's Playstation 3.

That was the problem with Uncle Keith, in Duncan's opinion. Uncle Keith was young. He was in his late twenties, and here he was, grading papers when he could be out hanging with chicks and getting a date for once.

Sure, he was cool, and in Duncan's manly opinion, not all that bad looking. A lot of babes at Independence thought Uncle Keith was attractive.

And he dressed pretty nice. Not like the other old geezers that taught IHS.

And Uncle Keith wasn't boring or anything. Once you got to know him, he was pretty hardcore when it came to fun stuff. Like video games. And partying.

But when you get on matters that he has soft spots for, like Courtney, for instance, then there would be trouble.

Damn, if Uncle Keith knew that Duncan had blackmailed Courtney into going to the party with him, there would be trouble. Big-time.

"Hey, Uncle Keith," Duncan said, tossing his black Venus onto the coffee table. "What's up?"

"Just grading some papers," Uncle Keith said airily. He tossed the papers onto the glass coffee table and turned to look at Duncan, a look in his eye that boded ill.

"So how are you and Courtney?" Uncle Keith asked bluntly. "Is it working out?"

Duncan shrugged nonchalantly, not letting for a moment his mask slip, "She's all right."

"_All right_?" Uncle Keith repeated in disbelief, eyebrows flying way the hell up his forehead. "She's the sweetest thing that ever came to Independence High! You should be thankful I got you her."

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Man, chill. She's not that sweet, believe me."

Inwardly, images of Courtney throwing a pinecone at his forehead and hurling insults at him every five seconds crowded Duncan's mind.

Yeah. Definitely not sweet.

"You should be lucky that I got someone like Courtney to tame you," Uncle Keith said, a grin playing on his mouth. "No one else would dare take on you."

"Yeah, Courtney's pretty hardcore when it comes to me," Duncan boasted.

Uncle Keith glared at him, a knowing look in his eyes, "Hey. Don't try anything funny with Courtney, okay?"

"Okay, geez," Duncan protested. "I wasn't gonna do anything!"

He flopped down onto the seat beside his uncle. "I got a party to go to tonight." He grinned at his uncle. "Geoff says it's gonna be killer."

"Of course," Uncle Keith said, rolling his eyes slightly. "He thinks everything is killer." He took up his sheaf of papers again. "Speaking of killer," the brown-haired teacher yanked out a certain essay, "Your essay killed me, Duncan. And not in a good way, either."

Duncan peered at his essay. There were red marks all over it and some scratches here and there from Uncle Keith. A huge C- was circled at the top of his headline.

"That's pretty darn good, buddy," Duncan said jovially, giving Uncle Keith a manly thump on the back.

"Your essay sucked, Duncan," Uncle Keith said flatly. "I'm not even around anymore. You need to step it up if you want to pass History."

"Oh, just relax," Duncan said carelessly. "I'll do better next time, okay?"

"Bull crap," Uncle Keith said, grinning despite his recent aggravation at Duncan's grades.

Duncan laughed at Uncle Keith's curse words. Since he wasn't allowed to say more that 'damn' and 'hell' at school, it became a habit for Uncle Keith not to cuss in front of students. Not even Duncan, who was a renowned potty-mouth.

"I will, I will, man," Duncan promised. Trying to change the subject, the delinquent quickly asked, "You staying for dinner tonight? Mom's making her sausage ravioli and crème brulee."

"Sounds good," the young teacher said, grinning. "Hey, how about we go catch a movie? You wanna watch Transporter 3? Heard it's good."

"Don't you got work to do?" Duncan asked, raising an eyebrow at Uncle Keith's sudden disregard for his work.

Uncle Keith stared for a moment at his papers, and then shrugged. "Ah, what the hell? Those can wait till tonight. Let's go." He tossed his car keys in the air and caught it deftly.

"You're paying, though, man," Duncan said as they went out the door. "I got to save my money for the party tonight."

"Why? Taking some lucky lady out?" Uncle Keith asked, his tone teasing.

"Yeah," Duncan said, an affectionate smile already on his lips. "A real lucky lady."

Who goes by the name of Princess.

"_Whoever thinks of going to bed before twelve o'clock is a scoundrel." -Samuel Johnson_

The moment Duncan got home, he hurried upstairs to get ready for the party. He had planned to be fashionable late; at least an hour and a half. The party wasn't really alive until an hour or so into the party.

Duncan carefully gelled his hair up into his faux mohawk, making sure each spike was upright.

He was going for his best party look tonight.

And a tiny part of him wanted to impress Princess with his roguish good looks.

Just a tiny part.

And besides. There could be other chicks at the party that would appreciate his good looks.

Duncan chewed on his lips. What should he wear?

Duncan eyed his closet carefully and after five seconds of speculating, picked out his outfit.

Guys, you see, choose their outfits quickly and efficiently unlike the female species.

His mother was known to take hours just to choose an outfit, and in some extreme cases, even went so far as to drag Duncan into her room and ask him for his opinion on her clothing.

Horror.

Duncan buttoned up his navy blue, long-sleeved dress shirt over his white tank top, leaving the first few buttons unopened. He picked out his favorite pair of Azuki jeans with the sea-green design on the back pocket and pulled it over his boxers.

He then loosely put on a white tie with a small imprint of an anchor on the bottom. His cousin had bought him that tie from some expensive Italian place downtown for a wedding. Duncan rarely wore it except on special occasions. Like this.

Duncan flicked off his plain silver studs. It was time to upgrade his accessories.

The delinquent exchanged his normal stud earrings for legit diamond ones that he had bought for a couple hundred downtown.

He didn't wear these on a daily basis; they were much too flashy. He only wore it at night or when he was out partying or slipping into clubs and underground raves with fake IDs.

And he was probably going to dance at the party.

If he was lucky, it would be with Princess.

Maybe she knew how to grind, he thought hopefully. Who knows?

And dancing required comfortable shoes.

Duncan grabbed up his white Air Jordans that he bought a few weeks ago. Perfect. He could dance all night with these.

Giving himself one last look-over in the mirror, Duncan slipped out of his room, patted Spike goodbye, and headed into the living room.

"Hey, Mom, I'm headed to the party, all right?" he said as he passed by his mother, who was watching a drama on the TV.

"Yes, yes," she said absentmindedly, pulling Duncan down to give him a swift kiss on the cheek. "Have fun, sweetie; don't drink and drive."

"Yeah," Duncan said, grinning slightly at his mother.

The things she said sometimes just made him want to laugh out loud.

"When Dad comes home, tell him where I'm at, okay, Mom?" Duncan said over his shoulder as he discreetly grabbed his motorcycle keys from the key rack.

Duncan's dad was a policeman; he came home late most nights, and when he didn't know where Duncan was, he usually freaked out.

His mom, however much he loved her, was a tad bit on the ditzy side, so Duncan always had to remind her twice for everything.

"Remember, Mom, I'm at a party, okay?"

"Yeah, honey," Duncan's mother said, waving him off, her eyes still glued to the TV screen. "Don't come home too late."

Duncan tucked the keys into his jean pockets. "Yeah. See you later, Mom."

And with that, he slipped out of the house, his dark clothing blending in with the night.

He had purposely worn dark clothing. Police weren't liable to come at Trent's parties, Geoff had promised him, but Duncan wasn't taking any chances. Going to juvie once was enough; he didn't want to get too friendly with the cops there.

Duncan took out his keys, the metal glinting.

Ha.

As if a suspension could hold Duncan back from riding his motorcycle.

Duncan pulled opened the garage door with his remote and pulled the motorcycle out into the moonlight, its red paint and silver chromes gleaming in the moonlight.

"Hey, babe," he said, patting the leather seat fondly. "You're beautiful as ever."

Swinging a foot over the motorcycle, Duncan yanked his helmet with the visor off of the handle and jammed it over his head.

He couldn't risk getting caught without a helmet by the cops; they might take away his license forever if they found out he was riding while on suspension.

Duncan revved up his engines and grinned to himself.

He was gonna drink his brains out tonight.

Duncan flipped down the visor and sped off. He couldn't help but let out a howl of elation as the wind whipped against his skin.

This was the life, baby.

"_Only a biker knows why a dog sticks his head out of a car window." -Author Unknown_

Courtney:

Courtney applied the last dash of glitter across the apple of her cheeks and smiled at herself in the mirror.

She looked pretty good.

Hardly like herself at all.

And that was good.

Because Courtney would rather be anyone other than herself tonight.

Tonight, she was going to let loose and dance all night. Forget about that stupid man and his fiancée and Justin.

Courtney fluffed her hair once last time and stepped out of the bathroom.

James stared at her, mouth open, an apple halfway in his mouth.

"Oh, god, Courtney," James groaned. "What the hell are you wearing?"

Of course, one would be shocked, too, if one saw what the usually conservative Courtney was wearing.

A tight white halter top that hugged her curves and accentuated her bosom to an extent that made James cringe. Her hot pink shorts stood out in contrast to her white tank top. She had on hot pink kitten heels.

Her legs were bronze, sparkling with body glitter as she moved.

A thin string of diamonds hung from Courtney's earlobes, and there was a huge turquoise ring on her index finger. A chunky lightning yellow bracelet jangled on Courtney's wrist.

Courtney twirled around for special effect. "Like it?"

"I hate it," James said flatly. "Go wear something else."

"Well, I think it looks great on me," Courtney said proudly, smoothing down the front of her halter top. "I like it."

Courtney glanced at the clock mantled on the wall.

7:50.

It was time for her to go to the party. Bridgette would be come to pick her up in a few minutes.

"Well, I'm gonna go now. When Mom comes home, tell her where I am," Courtney said, starting to go down the stairs.

Their mother was still out shopping. She had called home to tell them that she would be out with her girlfriends for the night.

Courtney understood why. Shopping always made her feel better, too.

The C.I.T was inwardly glad that she wouldn't have to be the one to break the news of their father's new engagement to their mother. She left that to her brother.

"Wait, at least put on a jacket before you go," James said desperately, pulling Courtney back. "It's cold out."

"Fine," Courtney relented, retreating into her room to choose a jacket that would go with her outfit.

After going through her closet, she pulled on a long black Alfani trench coat.

She also grabbed her BlackBerry from her bedside table.

It wouldn't be smart to leave her phone at home.

"Okay, James," Courtney said, walking past her brother and tying the jacket's sash on her waist. "Don't wait up." She flashed a smile at her brother.

James rolled his eyes. "I don't know what's gotten into you, Courtney, but whatever. Have fun."

"I will," Courtney replied, heading outside to wait for Bridgette and Geoff.

"Don't drink, okay, Courtney?" James said, leaning against the doorway. "And don't take anything strangers give you. Especially not any drinks."

Courtney smiled slightly. "James. I'm not stupid."

"I know." James shoved his hands into his jean's pockets.

At that moment, a red Corvette convertible came riding up in front of the house. Geoff and Bridgette were in the front passenger seat; Geoff was driving.

"Hey, Courtney!" Geoff cheered, honking his horn a few times, "Lookin' good, babe! Hop on in!"

"Oh my god," Bridgette gasped, her eyes wide. "Courtney?"

Courtney grinned and ran towards the car, waving goodbye to her brother over her shoulder. "Bye, James! Tell Mom I already went to the party, okay?"

James nodded back at her in response.

"Hey, James, bra! You want to come with, too?" Geoff hollered, waving for James to come in.

"Gotta stay home today, dude," James shouted back, shaking his head. "I'll see you later! Take care of my sis!"

"You can count on me, bro," Geoff shouted, grinning.

Courtney hauled herself over the door and buckled her seatbelt, just for safety precaution.

She smiled at James, waving goodbye.

He flashed an encouraging grin back.

"Come on, Geoffie," Courtney said, leaning on his seat. "Let's go party!"

Courtney didn't notice the odd look that Bridgette gave her from the rearview mirror.

"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about!" Geoff cheered as he revved up the car and made a sharp U-turn, swerving Courtney to the side of the car. "We're gonna have fun tonight!"

Summertime by New Kids on the Block blared from the radio, the rhythm pulsing under Courtney's feet.

The cold wind whipped through all their hair as they drove down the highway. Bridgette was laughing as Geoff whooped and howled against the breeze. Courtney threw her arms up into the air, letting loose a carefree cheer, reveling in the moment.

The sun was setting just beyond the horizon, the sky a deep hue of pink and purple with the last rays of dusk.

Tonight was gonna be different. She just knew.

"_We feel free when we escape - even if it be but from the frying pan into the fire." -Eric Hoffer_

**A/N: Oh. My. God. FINALLY. This chapter is UP! Now, are you guys ready? The party chapter is UP NEXT! Things will happen to make up for the loss of time, I promise you(: So, enjoy, read & review! I promise to have the chapters up quicker from now on. **


	12. A Stolen Kiss

**Chapter 12: A Stolen Kiss**

**Disclaimer: I don't own TDI and it's characters.**

"_The most beautiful make-up of a woman is passion. But cosmetics are easier to buy." -Yves Saint Lauren_

**Courtney:**

They came to a stop at Trent's house. It was oddly peaceful inside, no signs of music or shadows of people through the window. The only sound was the whistling of the wind and the faint cries of the crickets.

"What?" Courtney asked, her heart falling. "Don't tell me the party's canceled."

Geoff and Bridgette laughed as they got out of the car.

"Court', let me tell you something about Trent's parties," Geoff said, swinging an arm over Courtney's shoulders as they walked up the driveway. "Cops _never _come to his house when he's throws a bash. You know why?"

Courtney shook her head.

"Because no one ever realizes that he's actually having a party at all!" Geoff said, eyes wide like as if he had just unraveled a cryptic code. "If the old party-poopers who live in this neighborhood even hear one hint of a party, they call the cops. Trent can't have _cops_ coming to his crib."

"Er…" Courtney glanced at Bridgette for a clearer answer. "Come again?"

"Okay, think underground," Bridgette said, smiling.

"It's not… actually…" Courtney frowned as an idea came to her head. "… under the ground, is it?"

"Bingo, baby," Geoff said, winking at Courtney. "He holds the parties in his basement."

Courtney's eyes widened. "The basement?"

Immediately, thoughts of Courtney's own basement came to mind. Dusty, old, and spiderweb-filled.

"Is that… a good place to have a party?" Courtney asked, trying to hide the distaste in her voice.

"It's not what you think it is," Geoff assured her. "You'll be surprised."

"It's _huge_!" Bridgette said. "Trent's basement can fit up to eighty people, I swear! It's just like an underground rave. I mean, it's just awesome, Courtney."

Geoff leaned forward and rang the doorbell.

The elegant wooden door didn't open for a few seconds.

"Are you sure he can hear us?" Courtney asked doubtfully. "I mean, if he holds the party in his basement, how is he going to hear the doorbell ring?"

"Don't worry," Bridgette said, tossing her curled locks of blonde hair over her shoulders. "Trent has the special thing that he wears. If someone rings the doorbell, it vibrates."

Courtney didn't want to think where Trent strapped this vibrating thing.

"Might take a few minutes," Geoff said, pressing the doorbell a few more times, "But he'll open."

Sure enough, after a few more seconds of standing in the cold night, the wooden door opened.

"Guys! Come on in; the party's just begun!" Trent grinned at them, his gaze landing on Courtney. He had a red plastic cup in his hands.

"Hi, Trent," Courtney greeted, smiling.

"Hey, great to see you at a party for once," Trent said, throwing his arm around Courtney's shoulders and leading her into the house.

"Thought it was time for me to let loose," Courtney said lightly.

"That's right, sister!" Geoff cheered, wrapping his arm around Bridgette's slim waist.

"Is Gwen here?" Bridgette asked as they entered the house, taking off their shoes.

They walked down Trent's lush hallway, headed towards the basement.

"Yeah," Trent said, "She's downstairs, dancing." A glazed look came over his eyes.

Courtney understood why. When Gwen danced, she got everyone hypnotized. She was a great dancer.

Geoff nudged Trent. "Hey, dude, got any of those happy pills?"

Trent grinned. "What do you think? I got enough to make you happy for twenty-four hours straight."

"Sweet," Geoff chuckled.

"Geoff," Bridgette said, frowning. "I don't like it when you use drugs for partying."

"Aw, babe, loosen up," Geoff said, smiling down at his girlfriend. "I'll only do it once in a while, I promise."

"Courtney, you want some?" Trent asked, taking out a small foil packet. Little sunny yellow pills with hearts imprinted on them were encased in plastic.

Ecstasy.

"Trent, Courtney wouldn't do that," Bridgette said at once, her frown deepening.

Courtney stared at the offered pills.

Drugs.

She had always been against that.

But tonight, she needed to be different, to feel different. To be someone else, anyone else, other than her.

Courtney held out her hand.

Trent's face became shocked. He had not been expecting that answer.

Courtney could also sense Bridgette and Geoff's surprise.

Courtney shrugged, smiling. "Hey. It won't kill me if I just do it this once."

What harm could a few pills do? Besides, they would make her happy, something Courtney was seriously needing.

"I knew there was something bad underneath all that goodiness of yours," Trent said, grinning as he popped two small pills into Courtney's hand.

He gave Courtney his red plastic cup filled with beer so that she could down her pills.

Courtney tossed the small tablets in her mouth and took a swig of beer.

The liquid tasted bitter on her tongue, but Courtney drank it anyway.

"So what does this do?" Courtney asked, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "I mean, I know it makes you happy, but…"

"It makes you high," Trent said, popping out two more pills and tossing it into Geoff's hands. "You'll feel like as if you're the happiest person in the world, I swear. You'll like it._ I_ don't do drugs, but I make exceptions for these babies."

"So that you can spread the happiness?" Bridgette asked dryly, eyeing her boyfriend as he swallowed the beer to down his pills.

"Don't be so strict," Courtney said, smiling mischievously. "You're not so innocent yourself, Bridgette."

Bridgette turned a bright red.

Courtney laughed giddily. She didn't know if the pill was kicking in or that she was just happy that she was actually at a party.

The group came to a wooden door. Courtney could hear the faint beat of the music down below.

"Welcome to my party," Trent said grandly, slowly opening the door.

Courtney's breath stopped as she looked down into the darkness.

Music thumped out from the basement and she could make out the many figures of people dancing together.

It looked like a real club. Courtney no longer doubted that indeed, Trent was the master of hosting parties. This looked like those hard-core bashes that were shown on television.

"Wicked!" Geoff said, grabbing Bridgette's hand and pulling her down the basement. "Let's party, babe!"

There were cheers erupting from down below as the king of partiers, Geoff, joined the crowd.

Trent chuckled. "You can't have a party without Geoff."

Courtney didn't get to reply. Gwen had appeared in front of them, looking over her shoulders at Geoff, who was dancing with Bridgette. There was a crowd around them already.

Courtney turned back to look at Gwen.

The gothic girl had her hair silky hair teased and mussed so that she looked even more distraught than usual. Distraught in a good way. She was wearing a short strapless, black dress with white buttons. Lace fringed the edges. She had on a plain white t-shirt underneath the dress.

So what if Gwen's fashion sense leaned a little on the dark side; that didn't really matter. She still looked beautiful.

"Hey, Trent," she was saying, "Geoff and Bridgette are here, so where's Court----" Gwen's eyes fell upon Courtney. "Oh my god."

Courtney smiled at her best friend and did a little twirl for effect. "Like it?"

"What's gotten into you?" Gwen asked, amused. "You don't even look like yourself."

Courtney laughed, throwing her arms around Gwen. "That's exactly what I wanted."

Gwen gave her a questioning look.

Something in Gwen's teal eyes told Courtney that she knew something was up. Gwen always did have an uncanny knack for those sort of things.

Before Gwen could confront Courtney, however, Heather and Lindsay came up to Courtney.

Heather had her sleek hair tied up into a high ponytail, and she was wearing a pair of yellow super short shorts and a floaty purple blouse with a deep V-neck. Her whole body seemed to glitter as the light caught her skin.

Lindsay was beside her, wearing a hot pink spaghetti strap dress that clung tightly to her model-worthy body. Her hair was curled and clipped with diamond barrettes and she was teetering dangerously on seven-inch stilettos.

"Wow, you look sooo nice, Courtney," Lindsay said, her huge blue eyes looking Courtney up and down. "Like, you're almost as pretty as I am! And your legs are sooo nice, too."

Heather pushed Lindsay out of the way. "You're finally here!" the raven-haired girl exclaimed, her eyes gleaming in the light. She started pulling at Courtney's arm. "Come on, hottie, let's dance!"

Courtney could see Gwen's furious expression from the corner of her eyes, but she didn't really want to be questioned about her state of mind at the moment.

Suddenly, Courtney felt extremely light and happy.

The pill had taken its effect, no doubt.

"Sure, let's dance," Courtney said automatically, following Heather. She knew Lindsay was trailing behind. Then, something crossed her mind. "Do you know where Duncan is?" Courtney asked, shouting so that her voice could be heard over the music.

"He'll be here soon," Heather said, waving off Courtney's question. "Let's dance!"

Courtney never once danced in her life, but as Heather and Lindsay started dancing, their bodies warm against hers, the movements came easily like as if Courtney was born with it.

The music pounded against her ears and she followed with it, letting the ecstasy drug wash over her body.

_This _was what she needed.

Courtney had forgotten what made her so upset in the first place.

"_I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center." -Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., __Player Piano_

**Duncan:**

Duncan took off his helmet and stared at Trent's house.

Trent's house was one of those uptown ones, the really expensive nine hundred grand ones. The perfect place for hosting a party. But he lived in those suburbs where the people are snooty and proper.

Not a good location for a crazy party.

But the house certainly didn't look like it was having a party.

The house was dead quiet and only demure golden lights shown through the windows.

What the hell?

There were no cars in sight, either, except for a few. But probably because everyone parked in the guest parking lot in the back of the neighborhood. Where that was, Duncan didn't know.

One of the cars in front of Trent's house looked like Geoff's convertible, but Duncan couldn't be sure in the dark.

Duncan swung off of his motorcycle and rang the doorbell for Trent's house, wondering what the hell was going on.

Maybe the party was canceled and he wasn't told?

But that wasn't so. After a few moments of waiting, the door opened, and Trent was standing in the doorway, holding a plastic cup.

Trent's hair was tousled and his cheeks were slightly pink.

"Dude, finally here!" Trent exclaimed breathlessly, ushering Duncan in.

"What the hell?" Duncan asked, looking around. The whole entire house was empty. "Where's everyone? And where's the music?"

Trent snickered. "Come on, Duncan. Seriously. You think I'll hold the party up here where all the old people are gonna call the cops?"

"So where _is_ the party?" Duncan asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought we were gonna have the party here since we spent all day moving furniture."

"Oh, yeah," Trent said breezily, leading Duncan through the house. "That. Well, we were moving furniture, yeah, but for different reasons. I needed space throughout the house so that my cousins could move the stereos down into the basement."

"Basement?" Duncan asked, his eyes flying up to his brow. "Are you serious?"

He was holding his party in the basement. Duncan didn't know if he liked that idea or not.

Trent looked over his shoulder and grinned.

They came to a door, and Duncan could hear the thump of the music from behind its thick wood.

Huh. Maybe it wasn't so bad.

A grin came on Duncan's face. "Nice," he said, hand on the doorknob. "May I?"

Trent made a little bow, "Pleasure's all yours."

Duncan swung open the door and music blasted out, deafening his eardrums. Bright flashing lights greeted his eyes, and the smell of perfume and bodies pressed together thickened the air.

The door led down to a staircase, and Duncan could see lights and people dancing by the steps.

"This is awesome!" Duncan shouted above the din of the music as the two went down the stairs.

"Tell me about it," Trent shouted back. "Total sound-proof walls; no one can hear anything!"

Duncan turned and touched knuckles with Trent, grinning.

"This is legit, man," Duncan said appreciatively, taking a drink that Trent offered him.

This place was like a real club. Trent's basement was huge; at least the size of half a football field!

Music played from huge, state-of-the-art speakers, and there was a DJ in the corner, spinning records. A table laden with trays of good food lined the walls, and there was even a bar set up with liquor and beer.

Was that champagne he saw?

Duncan could see Owen guzzling down a liter of soda in the corner, DJ and Cody cheering him on.

"I give you props, dude," Duncan said, noting the disco ball that swiveled from the ceiling, casting rays of light across the room.

"Say my name," Trent said, holding out a hand.

Duncan slapped it in appreciation.

"I'll say your name, bro!" Geoff said, appearing behind Trent, swinging an arm over the dark-haired teen. "This is crazy!"

Geoff looked high already. His eyes were a little unfocused and his speech was slightly slurred, but he looked incredibly hyper all the same.

He probably popped a few pills before he came. Duncan did that sometime, too.

"Hey," Duncan said, noticing something. "You were supposed to pick up Courtney, right?"

"Princess?" Geoff asked, tilting his cowboy hat. "Yeah. She's over there." Geoff pointed over to a corner of the room where there was a throng of people. The blonde chuckled. "She's a real heavy party girl, dude. You should see her."

"Party person?" Trent asked, looking concerned.

Duncan didn't stay to hear Geoff's response; he left the two and went over to the crowd, wondering what the hell was up. Where was Courtney?

Pushing his way through people, Duncan could see Heather and Lindsay dancing together, their bodies grinding against each other in a fashion that made a part of Duncan's anatomy uncomfortably hard. In the middle of them was a head covered with chocolate brown hair, the locks curled immaculately.

It looked oddly familiar.

Duncan craned his head, wondering who that pretty girl was, and his stomach gave a lurch as he realized that it was Courtney.

Oh. My. _God._

Duncan's manly part strained against his jeans so much, he wouldn't have been surprised if it just ripped through his jeans.

_Damn._

Courtney was dressed in this sexy white halter top and these short shorts that revealed her shapely legs.

The way her hips swayed, added to the fact that she was grinding against Heather and Lindsay, just made her all the sexier.

Duncan silently sent a prayer of thanks to God.

You just don't see things like this every day. You just don't.

But at the same time, he wasn't all that thrilled.

Courtney was doing this in front of other guys, too. The delinquent eyed the guys standing in the corner who were watching Courtney with the same eyes and expression that Duncan just had on previously.

That did not make him happy. At all. In fact, it made him want to rip them from limb to limb.

After Duncan got over the fact that Courtney was dressed up in what he will never forget, he realized that this was not how she was.

Something was not right.

Courtney wouldn't really do this at a party, would she? She wouldn't dress like that, either.

If Courtney was in her real state of mind, she would be standing in the corner, all aloof and snooty. But most definitely not this. Something was wrong with Princess.

Suddenly, Duncan felt the urge to just yank Courtney and shake her to her senses.

"Courtney!" Duncan called above the music, just itching to punch the guys who were wolf-whistling at her.

Courtney looked up, immediately caught Duncan's eye, and flashed him a smile and a wave.

Duncan frowned.

That wasn't a very Princess-y thing to do. Courtney never smiled at Duncan. Ever. And furthermore, Duncan knew how Courtney smiled. He had watched, er, "observed" her enough during class to know what her real smile looked like. And whatever the hell Courtney just gave him wasn't her real smile.

Duncan knew that something was definitely wrong right then and there.

Immediately what came to mind was Courtney's dad. She had seemed really upset when Duncan mentioned him. But what could've happened?

Duncan reached forward and pulled Courtney out from between Heather and Lindsay. He ignored the annoyed shouts from Heather.

"Hey, Princess," Duncan said, pulling Courtney away to a more secluded corner of the room. "You all right?"

"Fine," Courtney hiccupped, pushing back her hair. She smiled at Duncan, her eyes a little glazed.

"Have you been drinking?" Duncan asked suspiciously, noting the way Courtney was unable to stand still.

"Only one can," Courtney said, grinning. "I liked it."

"You can't really hold your drink, can you?" Duncan asked, amused.

Courtney's eyes crinkled. "Yes, I can. Of course, I can. I can hold anything I want."

"Right," Duncan said, waving his hand back and forth of Courtney's face.

Her eyes blearily tried to follow his movements but failed.

"Courtney," Duncan said, serious now, "Are you really okay? Everything's fine?"

Something in Courtney's eyes flashed.

"Of course I'm okay," Courtney said a little too quickly. "I'm fine, Duncan."

"Princess, I'm one of the most experienced liars you will ever meet," Duncan said, narrowing his eyes. "I _know _you're lying to me." He crossed his arms and looked at the brunette expectantly.

"I am not," Courtney said crossly, looking away, her eyes straying to the party. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going."

Duncan inwardly swore.

Princess clearly wasn't right in the head at the moment. She was already a little drunk even though the party had barely started!

Various scenes flashed through Duncan's head, each one setting him in various degrees of panic. Anything could happen at a party with a drunk girl and a horny guy. He saw it happen way too many times at the parties he went to.

It was up to Duncan to watch over the brunette for the rest of the night. Damn.

Duncan frowned. He wanted to really party tonight. Get drunk, high, party the night away.

He couldn't do that if he had to watch over Courtney. But, well, what could he do?

"Hey, babe," Duncan said, snatching Courtney's hand as she started to walk away. "Why don't you dance with me instead? Huh?"

He pulled her close.

Surprisingly, Courtney didn't pull away. Maybe it was because she was rather drunk.

As soon as Courtney came close to Duncan, all feelings of grudge and resentment for having to forego the drinks and drugs and girls disappeared.

Her sweet scent exhilarated Duncan's senses as her skin lingered close to him.

His hands could feel the heat from her body through the thin fabric of her shirt.

Huh.

Maybe babysitting Princess wouldn't be so bad. After all, this was what he was fantasizing about all week long, right? Dancing with Courtney, her body close to his, her breath hot on his cheeks, his hands running up and down her sleek body.

In fact, he was enjoying watching over Princess very, very much.

"_After all, what is your host's purpose in having a party? Surely not for you to enjoy yourself; if that were their sole purpose, they'd have simply sent champagne and women over to your place by taxi." -P.J. O'Rourke_

Duncan looked around the dark room, looking for Courtney.

There were dozens of hot bodies pressed against each other, grinding to the beat. But Courtney was nowhere to be found.

Damn! He turned his back for one minute, and she was gone.

The two were at the party for about three and a half hours now; it was close to midnight.

Duncan couldn't force Courtney to dance with him all night; she refused to do that. Instead, she waltzed around the room, dancing from person to person. Duncan himself couldn't enjoy the party since he had to trail after Princess and look over her.

Twice, _twice, _some jackasses tried to give Princess some drinks laced with drugs. Duncan had kicked them in the groin when he passed by. They were too drunk by then to know who he was, but it had to hurt all the same, right?

Sure, Duncan thought bitterly. Why couldn't Courtney's friend watch over her instead of him?

Ha.

By the time Duncan managed to find Gwen, she was so high on marijuana that she didn't even recognize him. Last he saw of the gothic chick, she was dancing on a table with a crowd of guys by her feet. And Bridgette, apparently, was forced into some drinking game and was dead drunk. None of them were suitable to watch over Princess, and they were the only two people Duncan could trust Princess in.

Or, anyways, would be willing to waste a perfect party like this and watch over Princess.

Seriously. Who would want to spend an awesome party like this watching after some crazy brunette?

Some poor sucker would have to take up the job. Oh, that's right. Him.

But, damn. That chick was quick.

Duncan had turned around for just one minute to get a drink from the bar (hey, he had to enjoy himself somehow) and when he turned back, Princess was gone. He couldn't find her anywhere in the party. The lighting was dark and people just crowded up against him everywhere he went; of course it would be impossible to find Princess in this room. But he had to.

Anything could happen to a girl like Courtney in a party like this.

"Hey, Geoff, dude," Duncan said, grabbing the tousled blonde as he tumbled by, "You see Courtney anywhere?"

Geoff gave a drunken chuckle and looked at Duncan, his blue eyes unfocused.

"You mean Princess?" Geoff slurred, grabbing at Duncan's shoulders as he lost his footing. "S'nope. Didn't---_hiccup_--- din't shleepp… shle----shee her anywheres..."

Duncan stared at Geoff's extremely intoxicated state, envying the blonde.

Man. He could be like that right now if it wasn't for Princess.

"Well, if you do," Duncan said, patting Geoff on the shoulders, "You tell me, all right?"

"Yesshhiree," Geoff shouted, heading straught to some girls, whooping at the top of his lungs.

Where was Princess?

Duncan climbed onto a table and stood up on his tippy toes, (which was very high, considering that he was six foot two and was on a table) and looked over the partygoer's heads, searching for a familiar brunette.

He couldn't see her.

Duncan leaped off the table and ran a hand through his hair.

A familiar face came by.

"Hey," Duncan reached out and grabbed at Heather. "You see Courtney?"

Heather, though she had downed more than a couple cans, was still alert as ever. Seems like she could hold her drink like a pro. Of course, Duncan was the same thing. He could drink and drink and still be sober. At least, sober enough to talk and think coherently.

"Courtney?" Heather asked, narrowing her eyes. Apparently, the drink had gotten to her a little bit, because it took her quite a while to register who Courtney was.

The queen bee's eyes widened. "Ohh. Courtney!"

"Yeah," Duncan said, rolling his eyes. "Courtney."

Heather flipped back her ponytail, which was still silky straight even after some hard partying with a couple guys. "Yeah, I saw her like a while ago. She looked sick."

"Where was she going?" Duncan demanded, standing straight to attention.

Heather pointed at the door leading out of the basement.

It was slightly ajar.

"She was going out there," the raven-haired girl said before strutting off.

Duncan looked over his shoulder to watch Heather walk away and didn't try to stop himself from laughing when he saw her stumble, flailing her arms wildly to keep balance.

Serves her right, wearing high heels and drinking beer.

"_First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you." -Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald_

The delinquent jogged up the steps leading out of the basement, bypassing several guys calling him in for a round.

So Courtney went out of here? Maybe to go to the restroom? But there was already a restroom down in the basement…

Then, Duncan's ears pricked.

He heard footsteps rapidly running down the marble hall, the clicking of high heels echoing around the room.

Duncan ran downstairs and came around the corner just in time to see Princess burst out the door, one hand clamped over her mouth.

"Courtney," Duncan called as he followed her out of the house, his voice full of concern as the brunette barfed into a bush, her body convulsing. "Babe, you all right?"

The night air was cold. There was no one about the cul-de-sac.

Courtney garbled out something incomprehensible, her body slumping into the leaves, lifeless.

Duncan, alarmed, yanked Courtney up by her forearm.

"Ugh…" Courtney groaned, her eyes blurred. "Heather…? S'that you?"

"No, guess again, butthead," Duncan said, offended.

Courtney squinted. "Duncan?"

"Yeah," Duncan sighed, holding Courtney firmly by the shoulder and leading her back into Trent's house. "I'm gonna clean you up."

Duncan turned his nose away as Courtney came closer to him. His eyes watered with the rancid stench.

Man, her barf stank.

Her white shirt was stained with mucky goop and her hair was now wild and all over the place.

And Courtney looked terrible. Her eyes were sunken and her face was deathly pale.

Damn, he knew Princess wasn't a drinker.

"Augh," Courtney groaned, sounding like a person in terrible pain. "Auuuugh!"

"Princess?" Duncan quipped, raising an eyebrow as he pulled her back into the warm house.

"D'you hate liars, Duncan?" Courtney demanded, her voice low and slurred with alcohol. "D'you want to kill people who lie to you? Like---" she made vicious motions with her hands, "—just do _that _to them?"

"Er," Duncan said, taken aback by Courtney's sudden personality change. She looked hostile. "Do I?"

"I," Courtney tried to gesture at herself, her face straining at the concentration, "_I _was lied to!" She sounded close to tears.

"Lied to?" Duncan asked. "By who?"

"I was lied to," Courtney prattled, "He's horrible, horrible! Ruined _everything_! I thought things were going to be good, you know? But he's disgusting! Awful! _Horrible_!"

"Yeah, yeah," Duncan said, rolling his eyes. "Horrible."

Girls under the influence. One of the worst things in the world.

Drunk girls always cried about some ex-boyfriend who did them a personal wrong. Courtney was probably talking about some guy who dumped her or something.

"I've never felt so…" Courtney scrunched her face together to say a world. "—so _stupid! _He's a –_hiccup-_ jackass!"

"Damn right he is," Duncan said, nodding his head in agreement.

Of course, Duncan had no idea who 'he' really was. But it was best to just go along with what Princess was saying.

Courtney stumbled and Duncan managed to help her just in time before she smashed her head into the wall.

"Watch it, woman!" Duncan snapped.

Courtney's eyes were half-closed and she tiredly wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

Her whole entire body was shivering, not from the cold, Duncan suspected, but something else.

Duncan thought seeing Courtney drunk would be funny. But it was actually pretty scary. She really didn't look too good.

Then, her body tightened underneath his grasp.

"He's such a liar!" Courtney shouted drunkenly, practically dragging her feet across the floor. "He's a liar, Duncan, s'that's what's he is. Getting married… Justin…"

"Who are you talking about?" Duncan asked, trying to pull Courtney to the nearest bathroom, his eyes watering with the stink of barf. "Justin?"

Could she be talking about that senior Justin?

"Tried to ask me out," she mumbled, "Tried to…" She jerked and then shouted again, this time, really bursting out into tears, "What a liar he is! I hate him! I hate him, Doug!"

"It's Duncan," Duncan said exasperatedly. "Babe, who are you hating on?"

Courtney gave a little hiccup and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Streaks of black mascara and eyeliner smudged along her skin.

Duncan felt shivers when he saw the tears streak down Courtney's cheeks. "Princess, you crying?" Panic ran through him. Why the hell was she crying?

Anything to get her to stop crying, Duncan pleaded. If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was a crying girl. He felt so vulnerable when a chick did the waterworks in front of him.

"What kind of father is he?" Courtney cried, kicking at something invisible. "I want to kill him! I'll kick his ass!" She wrenched her arm out of Duncan's to throw a left jab at the air.

"All right, Courtney, calm down," Duncan said reassuringly, tucking Courtney's arms firmly back under his hold. "I'll kick this guy's ass for you later, okay? Just… try and walk. It'll make everything so much easier."

So it was her dad that caused all this mayhem, huh?

He felt a pang of anger and sympathy for Courtney. She might be feisty, but she certainly wasn't strong enough to hold all these problems on her shoulders.

Duncan led Courtney though the living room and into the bathroom. It was extremely hard, dragging Princess; her limp body was deadweight. She wasn't cooperating at all.

"Dunkie," Courtney bubbled, wobbling on her feet as Duncan kicked open the bathroom door, "You want to sing a song with me? Let's sing a song." She started to clap her hands together feebly,_ 'If you're happy and you know it…'_"

"It's Duncan, Princess," the delinquent reminded her as he turned on the water faucet. "Come on. You can sing later."

"_Dunkie, Doug, Duckie, Drew_," Courtney sang in an off-key tone, swaying towards the sink. She gave a giggle and flipped back her messy hair.

Duncan would've preferred one of Courtney's friends to clean her up; this wasn't really his best forte. But someone had to do it. And he couldn't leave Princess here while he went down to the basement to find Bridgette or Gwen.

Besides, Duncan thought with a grimace. He doubted those two would be in any position to clean Courtney up at the moment, considering how drunk _they _were.

"Okay, alley-oop, Princess," Duncan said, bending Courtney over the marble sink.

The bathroom looked like those bathrooms in the swanky hotels at high-end casinos or something. Damn. Were all the people at this school rich-ass kids?

It was oddly quiet in the bathroom; Courtney seemed to stop her mumbling. The soft lighting seemed to calm Princess down a little; at least she wasn't singing anymore.

He turned the faucet on and splashed the cool water onto Courtney's face, bravely washing the barf away.

Courtney gave another groan, but she seemed to be coming back to her senses. She shook her head slightly, sprinkling Duncan with droplets of water.

"You okay, Courtney?" Duncan asked, grabbing a paper towel and gently wiping Courtney's face with it. "Got it all out?"

Courtney didn't reply.

"Here," Duncan said, taking some mouthwash from the bottle by the sink and spilling it into a cup. "Clean out the barf in your mouth."

Courtney obediently did what Duncan told her to do, swishing the green liquid through her mouth. She spat out the mouthwash into the sink.

"That's much better," Duncan said, relieved. Good thing the smell's gone now.

Courtney slumped down onto the floor and leaned against the wall, her usually vivid eyes dull. Though she looked like someone that came off the set of Night of the Living Dead, Princess looked a lot less intoxicated.

"You look terrible," Duncan said, grinning as he sat down beside her. "You don't hold your drinks too well, babe." He pulled rather hard at a couple of her unruly curls in an effort to make her look slightly decent.

"Just had a few," Courtney mumbled, massaging her forehead with her fingers. "Not that much. I'm… I'm fine."

"Okay, how many fingers am I holding up?" Duncan asked, just for the hell of it. He held up four fingers in front of the C.I.T.

Her eyes blurrily focused on Duncan's hand, her face scrunching in concentration. "Twelve. Eight. No, wait," she shook her head. "Nine," she said, nodding in finality. "Yes. Nine."

"Okay, Princess," Duncan said, rolling his eyes, "Now I know you're smashed. Let's go."

He grabbed the slim brunette and tossed her over his shoulder. Duncan inwardly grinned. This reminded him of that one time when he ran into her with his skateboard. Seemed so long ago.

"Where're you taking me…?" Courtney mumbled, not even trying to fight against him. "I wanna… wanna go back to the party."

"No more partying for you," Duncan said firmly. "You're done for the night."

The delinquent carried Courtney upstairs into what looked like one of the many guest rooms.

Trent wouldn't mind if Courtney bunked here for the rest of the night. Or until she got to her senses.

The room smelled crisp and clean. Unlived in.

Duncan carried Courtney over to the bed and laid her gently down, propping her head more comfortably on the pillows.

"Night time already?" Courtney sighed, her eyes blurry.

"Yup. For you, anyway," Duncan said, sitting on the edge of the bed beside her.

"I smell horrible," Courtney mumbled, tugging at her stained shirt. She started to pull off her shirt.

"Wait!" Duncan said hastily, pulling down Courtney's shirt. "Don't do that!"

Damn! She was really drunk.

"I wanna change!" Courtney wailed. "I feel so dirty!" She started to kick at the bed in frustration.

"All right, um, hold on," Duncan stammered, rushing out of the room and into Trent's bedroom.

He doubted Trent would mind if he took one of his t-shirts and lent it to Courtney.

Duncan went into Trent's closet and took out a t-shirt that said The Hundreds on it. He also grabbed at a sweater, just in case Courtney was cold.

Duncan hurried back to the guest room and thrust the clothing at Courtney, who was still struggling to get off her shirt.

"Okay, Princess, change into that, all right?" Duncan said, averting his eyes as Courtney finally managed to pull of her top.

Princess was quiet as she changed. All Duncan could hear were soft rustlings as she moved about. Duncan did an uncomfortable little dance as he tried to force his manhood down.

Okay, he admitted it. He was horny.

Who wouldn't? It wasn't his fault. Princess was in the same room as him, _half naked_. Damn.

"You done?" Duncan croaked, not thinking that he could take anymore.

Courtney didn't reply.

"Okay, I'm turning around," he said. "Don't say I didn't warn you…"

Duncan turned around, secretly hoping to catch a glimpse of her body.

Instead, he saw Courtney, fully clothed now, and sleeping. Or knocked out, more like it.

Duncan's face softened.

Man. This chick really was something.

Duncan sat down beside Courtney's sleeping body and watched her breathe slowly, her body moving up and down with each breath.

Her ruined shirt was tossed on the floor. A rather erotic scene, in Duncan's opinion.

Courtney, despite her previous state of mind, looked beautiful asleep.

She didn't look fiery or snappish or cutting. More innocent. Fragile. Delicate. Nothing like her usual self. He supposed it was because she wasn't talking. Princess had a mouth that was as sharp as a knife.

A small smile wrenched Duncan's mouth.

For once, he didn't have any dirty thoughts or notions about her as he watched her, unconscious and vulnerable. Instead, he felt something else quite different than those stupid teenage hormones.

The delinquent brushed away some stray strands of hair that fell into Courtney's face.

She shifted slightly at his touch, but didn't awaken.

Before he knew what he was doing, Duncan found himself leaning over Princess. He whispered into her ear, his hands shaking a little, "Promise me you won't get mad if I do this?"

Courtney only gave a small sigh in response. She probably didn't even hear him; she was fast asleep.

But he took that as a yes.

For some reason, he had to do this. You could call it a spur of the moment or something similar to that. But Duncan felt such a strong urge to do this that he knew he would regret it deeply later if he didn't.

Duncan gently tilted Courtney's face towards his.

He lowered his head slowly, his lips almost touching hers.

His mind was in a daze.

_Why am I doing this? _

He didn't like this girl. He didn't care for her.

_She's not even my type. _

What did he want from her?

"I'm sorry," he breathed softly, lips inches away from Courtney's.

_Duncan, what the hell are you thinking? What are you trying to do?_

He closed his teal eyes.

_Don't. You don't want her. _

Then, Duncan's lips touched Courtney's gently. Fireworks exploded in the back of Duncan's head and shivers jolted up and down his body.

_Damn. _

_Maybe you do want her. _

Another voice hissed, his voice demeaning: _You idiot._

And for once, he agreed with his inner self. He _was_ an idiot. For falling for someone like her.

"_You have to walk carefully in the beginning of love; the running across fields into your lover's arms can only come later when you're sure they won't laugh if you trip." -Jonathan Carroll, "Outside the Dog Museum"_

**A/N: Gasp! Duncan's falling for Courtney! This chapter was long because I wanted to make up for the long time it took me to update! xD It was fun writing about Courtney being drunk(: So read & review, guys; the next chapter will come up faster. (I hope.)**


	13. The Aftermath

**Chapter 12: The Aftermath**

**Disclaimer: I don't own TDI. Unfortunately. Don't we all wish we did, though?**

"_The human story does not always unfold like a mathematical calculation on the principle that two and two make four. Sometimes in life they make five or minus three; and sometimes the blackboard topples down in the middle of the sum and leaves the class in disorder and the pedagogue with a black eye." -Winston Churchill_

**Duncan:**

Duncan closed the door behind him, his heart thumping uncomfortably in his chest. His teal eyes were a little wide at the shock at what he had just done.

Courtney.

Courtney?

Courtney!

No matter how many times he said it, it still sounded unbelievable.

She was probably the first girl he ever cared about like this. He never treated any woman the way he treated her. If it were a girl other than Princess, Duncan would probably be trying to screw her instead of doing this stupid crap. Man, was this what he was lowered to? Stealing kisses?

But Duncan felt that this chaste kiss, however quick and stolen, was worth more than any of the one-night-stands he had with the other girls. It certainly drove him crazier than any other girl ever did.

What was it about Courtney that made Duncan feel like he... the delinquent gave a shudder. What Duncan was on the verge of thinking was so cliché and corny, he just wanted to barf. Like, retch out his thoughts and feelings right there on the gleaming wood floor.

But the truth was, whenever Duncan was around Courtney, he wanted to be, well, he wanted to be a better man.

"_When I looked into your eyes and you dared to stare right back, you should have said, 'Nice to meet you, I'm your other half." –Relient K (The Best Thing)_

Duncan returned to the party, although he didn't feel up to partying that much anymore. His thoughts kept on coming back to the sleeping girl in the room.

Maybe he shouldn't have left her alone in that room. Knowing Courtney, she might freak out when she waked up.

"Hey, Duncan," DJ greeted, knocking the dark-haired teen out of his reverie.

DJ, Duncan noticed, seemed sober despite a couple long hours of partying. Just to make sure, Duncan waved his hand in front of the Jamaican.

You could never be too sure, as Duncan knew from experience. His own mother had one of the weirdest drunken personalities ever. She would look and sound completely sober, but, well, what she said, Duncan would rather keep behind closed doors.

"What the hell you doing, Duncan?" DJ asked, raising an eyebrow at the delinquent.

"Just checking," Duncan commented, grinning. "Didn't drink?"

"Nah, I'm the designated driver," DJ said proudly. "Gotta drove my homies home, y'know?"

"Friends don't let friends drink and drive," Duncan rattled off, rolling his eyes. "Sucks for you though." Duncan himself was deprived of much wanted beer and marijuana all because of one over-excited C.I.T.

DJ shrugged, "It's cool, man. I don't do drinks anyway." Taking a swig from his plastic red cup, filled with, presumably then, soda, the Jamaican looked around the room. "So where's Courtney? Haven't seen her around the party."

"Oh. Yeah. She passed out. Sleeping upstairs," Duncan nodded outside the door.

DJ's eyes widened. "Courtney passed out? She all right?"

"More or less," Duncan said, grinning slightly. "You should've seen the girl drunk. It was _awesome_."

"Man. Something's wrong with her nowadays," DJ sighed. "Girl didn't used to be like that."

"I know," Duncan grinned.

DJ shot him a look out of the corner of his eye and his lips twisted into a begrudging smile. He punched Duncan's shoulder gently, though it still hurt all the same. "Fool, don't get all pompous just cause it was you who made Courtney open up."

Duncan held up his hands in defense. "Hey, I have every right to, don't I? Princess was a tough nut to crack."

"Haven't cracked her open all the way, though, man," DJ said, smiling mysteriously at Duncan's confused expression. "See you later, man. Gonna get some partying in." He set his cup down on the table and disappeared into the throng of hot, sweaty bodies.

Duncan shook his head.

Whatever.

But now, there was another pressing matter on his mind.

How the hell was he going to explain to Courtney's parents or, he corrected himself, parent, what happened when he brought her home drunk and passed out?

Courtney couldn't possibly wake up and be alert by the time the party ended. Judging from her state of intoxication, she would also have a killer hangover.

Duncan leaned against the wall and grabbed a can of beer. He popped open the lid and took a deep swig.

Beer helped him think.

Taking another sip of the alcohol, Duncan weighed his chances.

Maybe if he somehow had someone call home, ring up Courtney's brother, then…

Oh yeah. Duncan's face lit up. James. Of course! James would know what to do; he was, after all, Courtney's brother. And any relatives of Courtney must have some wit about them.

Duncan hastily dodged a drunk partier and exited the party and into the empty clearing of the hall.

He ran back upstairs where Courtney was sleeping, sneaking her Blackberry out of her purse.

Duncan tiptoed outside, closing the door carefully behind him. He leaned against the door and begain to skim through the contact list of Courtney's phone and searched for her brother's cell.

Damn, the list of contacts Courtney had on her phone was endless. She had the doctor, the dentist; who the hell had their doctor's number on their cell?

Ah ha. There was James.

Duncan pressed the TALK button and waited as the phone rang.

One ring. Two. Three.

"Hello?" came the tenor of James's voice.

"'Sup, man? This is Duncan."

"Duncan?" asked James, sounding surprised. "Why are you calling on my sister's phone? Is something wrong?"

"I'm calling because of Courtney; she's----," Duncan started.

"What happened?" James cut in immediately. "Is she all right?"

"She's fine," Duncan said quickly, "But, uh, Princess drank a little too much and passed out."

James cursed. "I told that idiot not to drink any beer; she never listens to me!"

"I don't think she listens to anyone," Duncan said, amused. "But, uh, dude, I'm kind of in a predicament here. Her designated driver is dead drunk; basically, everyone is spending the night here. Sort of."

He knew for a fact that Gwen, Bridgette, Heather and Lindsay were being driven home by DJ. Geoff was bunking here. Some other dudes from other schools were staying here, too.

It was a known fact that everyone who ever went to Trent's party usually slept here until the next day; they were always too drunk to drive home.

"No," James said at once. "Our mom's going to find out and she will flip out; Courtney doesn't need that right now."

"Then what do you suggest, Courtney's brother?"

"How about, get someone to let Courtney sleep over at their house or something, and then in the morning, hopefully, the hangover will wear off," James said. He sounded stressed. "Just bunk her anywhere. I'll take care of stuff at home; work it out with my mom. I'll pick her up in the morning. Have her call me."

"All right," Duncan applauded, grinning. "I'll, uh, have her call you in the morning. Or something. Anyone's house will do, right?"

"As long as they're trustworthy," James said coolly. "How about Gwen or Bridgette?"

"I think Goth Girl and Malibu Barbie are a little too drunk to watch over anyone tonight," Duncan said dryly. "Anyone else?"

"How about you?" James asked, sounding pained.

"Rode a motorcycle here; I'm not really sure it's a good idea to let Princess ride on my bike drunk."

"Right."

"What about Trent?" Duncan asked. "You trust him?"

"Yeah, we're cool." James paused. "I mean, Courtney's already at his house anyway, right?"

Duncan played with the doorknob, listening for sounds inside the room. There was none; Courtney was still asleep. "Yeah."

"All right. Let Courtney sleep over at his house. And…" James said, his tone a little different, "You'll stay and watch over her, will you?"

"What, you mean, watch her over the night?" Duncan raised an eyebrow.

Sleep over with Courtney? Boy, wouldn't that be fun.

"Yeah. Cause you see, Courtney will probably get freaked out if she wakes up in someone else's house. She's gonna need someone to explain to here where she is, what happened, you know. The usual. So, you'll babysit her, right?"

"Sure," Duncan said. "It's what I've been doing all night."

Duncan doubted James would take no for an answer, anyway.

"Thanks, man. I trust you. But," he added, a hint of threat in his voice, "Try anything funny with her and I'll---"

"Chill," Duncan said lazily. "You can relax. Your sister's too feisty for me."

A total lie. No one was too feisty for Duncan. But there was no point in having James pissed off at him; besides, Duncan liked James. He was a good male companion.

"Okay," James said, sounding relaxed now. "Thanks again, man. See you later."

"Ciao."

Duncan heard footsteps coming up the stairs. He saw that it was Trent.

"Hey. Why are you up here?" Trent asked, looking around the area.

"Nothing," Duncan said a little too defensively.

Trent gave Duncan a suggestive grin. "Got a girl up here somewhere?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Duncan said dryly. "But anyway, why are you up here?"

"Got a major headache; I needed to get away and rest for a bit," Trent said, rubbing his forehead. "Freakin' Geoff; he's uncontrollable, I swear. Dude's been dancing in his boxers on my table for the last twenty minutes."

Duncan chuckled. Then, he remembered that he still needed to ask something of Trent. "Trent, you think you can help a brother out?"

"What?" Trent looked at Duncan, an eyebrow raised. "If you want to borrow some money---"

"No!" said Duncan, shaking his head. "I mean, it's not big or anything. But…"

"Well," Trent shrugged. "What is it?"

"Do you think you can let Courtney and me sleep over at your house tonight?"

Trent's eyes widened in surprise. "Sleep over? Courtney? Courtney Mann?"

"No, Courtney Cox," Duncan said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Yes, Courtney Mann."

"What happened to her?" Trent's eyes automatically traveled over to the suspiciously closed guest room door. He nodded his head towards it. "She's sleeping in there?"

Duncan nodded, jamming his hands into his pockets. "Yup. Passed out." The delinquent punched Trent's arm lightly. "Did you pop her a few pills, bra?"

Trent's lips curved into a crooked smile. "At least she had fun, right?"

Duncan rolled his eyes. "I didn't. Because of her, I didn't get to enjoy myself at all last night! No beer, no tequila, no nothing!"

"That's how life rolls," Trent sighed. "Women."

"But, yeah, how about my favor? Can we bunk here for the night?" Duncan pressed. "It's okay for Princess to sleep here, right?"

"Sure," Trent said. "I don't mind. I mean, I have some other people sleeping over here tonight also. You and Courtney can share a room." He grinned at Duncan.

"Nah, it's not like that," Duncan said, shaking his head a little sadly. "She'll kill me if I do anything. Besides. I'm just gonna be watching over her tonight."

Trent nodded understandingly. "All right. So, uh, do you want a sleeping bag or are you…?"

"I'd like a sleeping bag, yes," Duncan said gravely, not wanting to know what would happen to him if Courtney woke to find him sleeping next to her.

"All right," Trent said. "But that's for later, man. Go down and enjoy the party."

"I've been dying to do that all night," Duncan said, rolling his eyes. "I'm not gonna be able to drink, but as long as there's some chicks I can grind…"

Hey, he had to enjoy himself somehow, right?

Trent patted his back. "Bro, I've got some _hot _girls for you. And I mean hot. They're blonde and they're _French_. It cannot get any better than that. They can barely speak English, but hey," he nudged Duncan meaningfully, "Who's listening, right?"

Duncan laughed. "_Sweet_. Bring 'em on."

"_To be in love is merely to be in a state of perceptual anesthesia--- to mistake an ordinary young man for a Greek god or an ordinary young woman for a goddess." –H.L Mencken_

**Courtney:**

Still deep in slumber, she subconsciously had a dream in which Duncan's face hovered above hers. Then, there was the weirdest sensation. Of skin. Of lips. A kiss.

"_Love is the most beautiful of dreams and the worst of nightmares." –William Shakespeare_

Courtney slowly blinked her eyes open.

Moonlight poured over the bed from the window by her bed; the ghostly white curtains fluttered against the wind of the open window.

She had no idea what time it was; there wasn't a clock around in the room. Another odd thing was that the house seemed strangely quiet; the room itself was filled with a sleepy silence that thoroughly disconcerted Courtney.

She could clearly remember the music and the screaming of the partiers; now, it sounded like the whole entire house was in a deep slumber.

Think, Courtney, think! Did you go home after the party? But the effort in thinking sent a hammer of pain exploding in Courtney's dulled brain. Another jolt in Courtney's forehead sent her falling back onto the bed.

Oh, _god_. Her head was pounding. And she felt nauseated; her stomach was churning like hell.

Where was she? And… Courtney pulled absentmindedly at the hoodie; this didn't feel like what she was wearing before.

Courtney sat up, ignoring the increased pounding in her forehead. Her head felt like it would explode. Courtney even wanted her head to explode; it was hurting so much.

Oh, god. Courtney tugged at the huge sweatshirt, looking down at it with wide green eyes.

This was a _guy's _clothing.

A sort of terror struck into Courtney's chest. She didn't know what she was thinking, but it was something bad. Was she still at Trent's house? _Where was she?_

The brunette swung her feet over the bed, ready to run out of the room, when her toes stepped on something soft and warm. And bare.

Courtney gave a little yelp as she stumbled over the warm thing and crashed to the floor. It took her a Herculean effort to stand up.

Oh, god. What was _wrong _with her body? It just refused to do what she wanted it do; her limbs felt like useless strips of rubber.

Courtney scurried to the door and hastily looked over her shoulder at what she stepped on and bit back another shout as she saw that it was Duncan.

Duncan?

_Duncan?!_

What on earth was he doing here?

Courtney hastily put one and one together.

A guy's clothing.

Him in her room.

Courtney's face slackened with horror.

Oh. No. No. Her legs gave way and she staggered slightly.

Courtney's hand grappled at the doorknob; she felt sick to the stomach.

Duncan wouldn't do that; he wouldn't. He wouldn't!

Courtney attempted to open the thick wooden door when a voice sleepily said from the bedside, "Courtney? You awake?"

"Duncan!" Courtney gasped, whirling around.

Duncan was sitting up, looking rather ghostly, with his face pale against the moonlight. His messy, un-gelled black hair made a stark contrast with his translucent skin.

He was sitting up, arms propped for support, expression a little dazed and sluggish.

Courtney held back her breath as she saw that Duncan wasn't wearing a shirt. She could see all of his muscles on his arms, shoulders, and---a tingle ran up her spine---his chest.

Oh, goodness. His abs. She had no clue they were that defined.

Courtney quickly averted her eyes so that she could be able to think clearly; something about seeing Duncan's body made her head hurt even more.

"Duncan, I demand you tell me why I am in here!" said Courtney shrilly, wincing as her forehead tweaked painfully. "And I am in no mood to be joking around!" she added, noticing his wry smile.

Duncan rubbed his eyes in a child-like fashion. "Chill, Princess." The delinquent flopped back onto his pillow. "You passed out, I called your brother, he told you to sleep over here, so, here you are."

"What?" Courtney asked with some effort. "My brother told you to let me sleep over--- Where am I?"

"Trent's house," Duncan replied, gazing at her, his teal eyes gleaming in the light.

"Whose clothing am I wearing?" Courtney said, gesturing at her sweatshirt. Her forehead was hurting a lot now. The brunette slid to the floor, running her hands through her hair.

"Trent's."

"Well, that's nice," Courtney snapped, irate. "That's just wonderful." She struggled to her feet and walked back over the bed, uncomfortable with Duncan's watchful gaze. "So I'm going to have to spend the night here?"

"That was the plan, babe."

"Why are you in here?" Courtney threw at the delinquent.

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Do we really have to do this?" He glanced at Courtney and held up his hands in defense at her murderous expression. "All right! I was just watching over you in case you freaked out. Which, predictably, you are doing right now." He blinked his unsettling cool eyes slowly. "Happy?"

"Not really," Courtney snapped, walking carefully around Duncan and climbing back onto the plush bed with some difficulty. "But I guess if you're telling the truth---"

"Which I am," Duncan cut in, his voice defensive.

"I'll just go back to sleep then." Another reason Courtney was so ready to climb back into bed was the fact that her head was just dying to split open; she wanted to do nothing more now than to crawl under the blanket and sleep for a few years. Or more.

But she couldn't go to sleep just yet. There was something still bothering Courtney.

She had to make sure. Had to make sure that she was still intact.

"Duncan," Courtney said, her voice quivering slightly, "Nothing… Nothing happened to me, right?"

Duncan's disembodied voice came floating up from the bed's side. "What do you mean?"

Courtney looked down at the overlarge black Puma sweatshirt and her lips tightened.

"Where's my shirt, Duncan?" Her tone was low; she wasn't actually questioning where her shirt was, more like _why_ she didn't have it on.

"You barfed all over your old one—" Courtney cringed at his words. "Trent put it in the wash. And," Duncan added quickly before Courtney could interfere, "You changed yourself, I swear. I didn't see anything."

He paused for her response.

When Courtney didn't reply, Duncan said quietly, "Courtney, I watched over you all night. No guy came near you or did anything to you. And I swear. I didn't do, uh, anything." He seemed to shift uncomfortably, but Courtney didn't seem to notice.

"You watched over me all night?" Courtney asked, her voice quiet.

Duncan replied, after a moment's silence, "Yeah. I did."

Courtney pulled the coverlet up over herself tighter, even though she wasn't really cold. She just felt a lot more secure doing that; right now, what Courtney needed more than anything was security.

"I hate myself right now," Courtney said, more to herself than anyone.

"I hate you right now, too. You ruined the party for me," Duncan said, sounding amused.

"Oh, ha ha, Duncan," Courtney mumbled. "It's all fine for you. But I just lost all self-respect I had for myself."

"And why is that, Princess?" Duncan asked from beside the bed. He sounded dry and sarcastic. "After seeing the way you partied tonight, I think you won a lot of people's respect."

Courtney buried her face in her hands. "Don't remind me! I wasn't thinking clearly; that wasn't me!" The brunette clutched her pale face feebly. "I'm ruined, Duncan, ruined."

Duncan's head popped up by the bedside. "Now why would you say that?"

"I took drugs," Courtney said, looking up from her hands, face haggard. "I drank until I was drunk. I was dressed like a total… _slut_," she finished in a horrified whisper. "How am I going to go to school and face all these people now?"

"Babe," Duncan said exasperatedly, "They probably don't even remember what you were like; everyone's so dru---"

"That's not what I mean, Duncan!" Courtney cut in, sounding agitated. "I mean… I'm just so… so disappointed in _myself_." And that was shocking because Courtney's never really done anything that she was disappointed in, excepting maybe not getting top marks in some of her tests.

All her life, she had been perfect, clean and pure. Now, all because of one stupid thing, one stupid problem, she's lost everything she valued in herself. Besides her virginity. And even then Courtney wasn't so sure of that.

How could she let herself go like that?

"Courtney," Duncan said, his head popping up by her bedside. His eyes glittered in the moonlight.

Her name sounded weird when he said it; Courtney noticed that Duncan only ever called her by her real name when he was serious.

Courtney automatically pulled the covers up over shoulders; it was rather disconcerting being so close to Duncan. "What?" asked Courtney, her eyes narrowed. "Any wise piece of philosophy you want to bring onto me?" she asked sarcastically, "Preach me things that you never do?"

Duncan frowned. "Well, since you put it that way…"

Courtney rolled her eyes and gave a huge sigh of depression.

"Okay, here's what I see," Duncan said at last, propping his elbows on the bed. Courtney eyed him distastefully.

Duncan's bright blue eyes met with Courtney's gaunt green ones. "All I see is a girl who had fun. I see a girl who took that pole out of her butt and let go. Now I know that isn't true," Duncan said, rolling his eyes. "Cause I heard what you said when you were drunk."

Courtney opened her mouth to protest when Duncan cut across her. "But I don't think anyone else is going to judge you from what happened tonight. Not Geoff, not Heather, not Bridgette, not DJ, not anyone else. I know I didn't. And I'm probably the most judgmental person I know, besides from you."

Courtney pursed her lips and glared at Duncan. "I don't believe you."

Duncan grinned crookedly. "Babe, years from now, when you're president of the world, we'll laugh over this little fiesta. And you'll see that it's not really all that big of a deal."

Courtney stared at Duncan, her mouth slightly open.

What he said, for some odd reason, made sense. And, even crazier, he was making her feel better. How strange was it to have _Duncan _comfort her? He was the last person in the world Courtney would have expected to do so.

But still, it was actually working. The heavy weight in her heart, though not gone entirely, had lifted considerably.

The C.I.T gave a weak smile after a long moment. "What makes you think I'll still talk to you years from now?"

Duncan chuckled. "Babe, I know stuff." His head disappeared as he went back to his sleeping bag. "Darling, it's five in the morning; I think you and I both need our beauty sleep."

"I'm not stopping you," Courtney snorted, falling back onto the pillow. "Take your beauty sleep. You need it, anyway."

"You ain't such a pretty sight right now, either, Princess," replied Duncan.

"Shut up." Courtney said scathingly, turning to the other side of the bed, her fingers clasped beneath her cheek.

Well, she _was _rather tired. Some sleep might do her some good. The brunette closed her already heavy eyelids.

There was silence in the room for a while, filled with nothing but the faint cries of the crickets and owls from outside the open window. Then Duncan spoke up: "Think there might be room for two up there? The floor's mighty cold."

Courtney frowned, looking over her shoulder at Duncan, who was now sitting up and looking at her hopefully over the bedside.

The brunette rolled her eyes and laid her head back onto the soft pillow.

"Good night, Duncan."

"Could've kept you warm, babe," the voice drawled.

"I said, good night," Courtney said, a warning undertone in her voice. Still, a rather warm feeling erupted in the pit of her stomach. But she quickly forced it down.

There was a slight snicker. "G'night, Princess."

"_Driving down the wrong road and knowing it, the fork years behind, how many have thought to pull up on the shoulder and leave the car empty, strike out across the fields; and how many are still mazed among dock and thistle, seeking the road they should have taken?" Damon Knight, __The Man in the Tree_

**A/N: Beside from the fact that Duncan and Courtney spent the night together, this wasn't a very eventful chapter. But I think I reached a crucial point for Duncan; he's coming to terms with his feelings for Courtney; Courtney herself might take up more time. You know how stubborn she is(: The wedding is coming up, and you'll see a bit more of JustinxCourtney (a coupling which some of you may hate!) and KristinaxDuncan(an even uglier coupling!) So, READ & REVIEW! Keep the reviews comin' in, and I'll have the chapters linin' up! **

**For shadowofnothing14: for you, my devoted dude/girl and any other readers out there wondering, my quotes are all found at . I'm not sure if that's the right address, but if you go on and type in **_**quote garden**_**, I'm sure the website will pop up(: **

**Shout out to Angel360-Devil0 for giving me some awesome quotes; I'll be sure to use them in the next chapter, too!**


	14. Breakfast at Denny's

**Chapter 14: Breakfast at Tiffany's. Or Denny's. **

**Disclaimer: Total Drama Island and all of its characters belong to me. Not really. **

"_When the wine goes in, strange things come out." _

_-Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller, __The Piccolomini__, 1799_

Courtney awoke the next morning to the pleasant sun shining through the window blinds; the window was open slightly. She could hear the birds and feel the morning air pervade the room.

But despite the beautiful weather, Courtney felt like---

"Crap," Trent moaned, stumbling into the room. "C-R-A-P. Crap." The young musician slammed the door behind him. "I feel like freakin' crap."

Courtney gave a groan and clamped her hands over her ears at the sudden noise. Every single noise seemed to be amplified a billion times; her mind was spinning.

The brunette curled up underneath the covers. She felt a thump as Trent sat on the bed by her feet. In her poor state of mind, Courtney didn't care what she looked like right now. And she ignored the fact that a guy was seeing her in her ugliest moments.

"Hangovers suck, huh?" Duncan said, sounding amused as he came into the room after Trent. He looked fresh and clean; his hair seemed slightly damp. There was a white towel slung around his shoulders. Apparently, he had taken a morning shower.

Courtney cringed at what Duncan was wearing: a thin black tanktop and plaid red boxers.

Men. They had no respect, Courtney thought bitterly.

"How you feeling, Princess?" Duncan asked brightly, sitting down on the bed beside the brunette.

"Your attitude sickens me," Courtney said grumpily, turning to the other side and pulling the blanket higher over her shoulders.

"Wakey wakey," Duncan chirped. "Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty."

Good God.

"What do you want?" Courtney moaned.

"We're having breakfast," Duncan said. "At Denny's. You coming?"

"I look like crap," Courtney grumbled. "Leave me alone."

"We all look like crap," Trent said from somewhere by Courtney's feet.

"Not me, baby," Duncan said cheerily, "I feel fresh like a daisy. Smell like one, too. Wanna take a sniff?" He held out his arm for Courtney to smell, but quickly yanked it back as she snarled, ready to bite it. But, Courtney admitted, his skin did smell good.

Duncan crossed his arms, "So are you coming?"

"I told you, I look like crap," Courtney repeated, glaring at Duncan. "No."

"Come on; you can wear what you're wearing now," Duncan said, tugging Courtney up. "Just take a shower and you'll be good as new."

What she was wearing now? Courtney looked down, because she had forgotten what was wearing.

An overlarge black Puma sweatshirt and a pair of hot pink shorts.

Just kill her already.

She would _not_ go into public wearing that. She turned to the other side of the bed so that she would not have to look at Duncan. "Just let me sleep. My head hurts."

Courtney's mind fell into a mess of jumbles as Duncan hoisted her up and dragged her off the bed.

"Come on, it'll be good for you and your head," Duncan said, grunting with the effort of pulling Courtney off of the bed. "You need to look your freakin' best by the time you get home!"

Courtney clutched at her head, giving a low groan. Duncan had practically yanked her off the bed with her feet.

"I think I'm gonna need to be carried, too, Duncan," Trent added feebly from the bed.

"_I would prefer not to." -Herman Melville, "Bartleby, the Scrivener"_

"So, what are you gonna have, babe?" Duncan asked, leaning towards Courtney to peer at the menu.

"Don't come near me," Courtney said thickly, grasping her temple.

Geoff placed his menu on the table. His blue eyes were still a little unfocused; he seemed out of it. "I think I'll just have a coffee, man. My stomach feels kinda weird. Well, maybe some pancakes. I mean, pancakes are pretty good…"

"Yeah," Trent said, putting down the menu, looking slightly nauseated at the many pictures of the food. "I'll just have… maybe an orange juice or something."

"Well, you sissies can have your orange juice and your coffee," Duncan said, rubbing his hands together. "But I'll have myself the Grand Slam."

"Why did you drag us here, Duncan?" Courtney asked, grumpy. "No one's hungry."

The C.I.T was in a foul mood. Not only was she sick to the stomach, but her head was spinning and she felt like crap. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot, skin pale and blotchy, and her hair was a bird's nest. This was horrible. Courtney Mann never felt like crap.

Furthermore, she had to take a quick shower in Trent's house, and ended up wearing another of Trent's Diesel sweaters and a pair of his large sweats. She looked hideous.

Courtney might have a killer hangover, but she had to look at least slightly good. In this case, she looked like some crazy bag lady in men's clothing.

"Well, have some fruits or something," Duncan said. He looked up as a waiter came to the table.

"What can I get you guys?" the young man asked, holding his notepad.

"Yeah, I'll have the Grand Slam, please," Duncan said.

Geoff looked at the menu and shrugged. "I'll have a cup of coffee and a plate of pancakes."

"Just some orange juice, thanks," Trent said, handing the waiter the menu.

"And you, ma'am?" the waiter looked at Courtney.

Courtney gave a little cough. "Just a small cup of fruits."

"Sure. I'll be back with your orders in a moment," the waiter said, walking away.

Courtney pulled her knees up to her chest, pulling the fabric of the sweater over her knees.

"You okay, Princess?" Duncan asked, nudging Courtney.

"Don't touch me," Courtney grumbled.

"Oooh, I'm so scared." Duncan nudged her again just to piss her off.

Courtney glared at Duncan, but was too dead to actually do anything against him. "I want to go home after this, Duncan," Courtney said, pushing back her hair. "I'm tired."

"Anything you want, babe," Duncan said airily. "We'll take you straight home after this."

"I'm not sure I can go home in this state, dude," Geoff groaned. "My mom will kill me if she sees me like this again."

"Again?" Duncan asked, raising an eyebrow.

Geoff cringed. "Last time I came home drunk, my mom whooped my ass so hard. I swear, my butt has never felt the same ever since."

Trent and Duncan laughed. Courtney merely rolled her eyes.

"What about you, Duncan?" Trent asked, drinking his water. "You ever got beat up for coming home drunk?"

"I usually don't come home until I'm sober," replied Duncan, grinning. "Sometimes that could take weeks."

"Or months," Courtney added sarcastically, looking Duncan up and down. "You always seem kind of drunk to me."

"Oh, ha, ha," Duncan shot back. "Very funny."

"Your orders," the waiter from before said, coming back with a tray full of food. He set down a huge plate full of sausages, bacon, eggs and toast before Duncan (Courtney felt her stomach turn at the sight of so much food) and placed a small bowl of fresh fruits in front of Courtney.

"Enjoy your meal," the waiter said, walking away.

"I don't think I can enjoy anything right now," Courtney complained, rubbing her temple.

Duncan, who was already wolfing down his food, seemed to wholly disagree.

"I s'pose there_ are_ some benefits to being sober," he said cheerily, spearing a sausage drenched in syrup.

Courtney narrowed her eyes. Duncan was suspiciously happy today; something good must've happened, or else, he wouldn't be like this.

Suddenly, the Blackberry Courtney had tucked away in her sweater's front pocket started to vibrate.

Courtney took out of her silver and red phone and pressed TALK.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Courtney, it's me, James," James said on the other line. "How you feeling?"

Courtney made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a scoff. "Terrible. I have the worst hangover ever."

"I was afraid of that," James said morosely.

Courtney grimaced. "What?"

"I think you're gonna have to stay with Duncan and everyone else for a little while longer; Mom is still at home, and if she sees that you're still kinda drunk, she'll get really mad."

Courtney could understand that; her mom was very against drinking.

"So what do you want me to do?" asked Courtney, noticing that Trent, Geoff and Duncan were all watching her intently.

"I dunno; stay at Trent's house for a couple of hours, or until your hangover wears off. I'll come pick you up at around noon. Or at least, call me when you feel better. I don't want Mom to see you dead tired," replied James.

Courtney blew out a breath. "All right."

"Cool. I'll see you later, all right?"

"Bye," said Courtney, disappointed that she could not go home to the comfort of her bed. Or, until her hangover wore off. Which, she thought, wincing at a slight pang in the forehead, might take a long time.

"Okay, change of plan," Courtney said, stowing the phone away in her front pocket. "I think I'll have to hang around at your house for a while, Trent. Is that okay?"

"'Course," Trent said, propping his jaw on his hands. "We can order a movie On Demand and chill. At least… until our hangovers wear off."

"I think I need to go the bathroom," Geoff said, his face a little green as he stood up.

Courtney looked up at Geoff, whose face was turning paler by the second. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just---" The blonde gave a little lurch and clamped his hand over his mouth, baby blue eyes wide. He proceeded to rush to the men's room, his cowboy hat flying off in his wake.

"God," Courtney groaned, feeling a little sick herself.

"Well, Mama always said drinking was no good for you," Duncan said wisely, stealing a strawberry from Courtney's bowl.

"_I can't complain, but sometimes I still do." -Joe Walsh_

Courtney adjusted the pillow on the armrest and laid her head down.

"You sure you don't want to watch the movie, Courtney?" Trent asked, coming up beside her, a black blanket tucked underneath his arm.

"No," Courtney said, shaking her head. "I'd really rather just sleep." She accepted the comfy blanket that Trent offered her.

While the guys were going to watch Eagle Eye, Courtney decided to take a nap on the sofa. The guys were left to either sprawl on the floor or sit on the armchairs beside Courtney.

Though in any other condition, Courtney would've slept in a private room; she didn't like having people see her sleep. But in this case, she was in an unfamiliar house, and Courtney never could sleep in an unknown environment.

And, Courtney thought decisively, a nap would cure her of her hangover. Trent had popped her an aspirin to ease her headaches, but other than that, all she had left to do was sleep it off. Well, that was Geoff's advice, and from what she knew, he was a guy who had many, many hangovers.

"Have a nice nap, then, Princess," Duncan said, somewhere by Courtney's feet.

Courtney had already closed her eyes.

"Naps never really did help my hangovers," Trent said thoughtfully.

The brunette was dozing off.

Geoff added, "Watching porn always did the job."

"It does the job for everything," Duncan said, grinning.

The guys laughed, then quickly quieted down and looked at Courtney, afraid that she might have heard their less than refined joke.

She was already asleep.

"_For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way. Something to be got through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life."_

_-Fr. Alfred D'Souza_

By the time Courtney woke up, the movie was done and the guys were watching football, a pastime many men shared.

Her headache, though not entirely gone, had reduced to the point where she could come home at last.

"Oh, you awake, Courtney?" Geoff asked, looking over his shoulder at the rather sleepy looking C.I.T.

"Yeah." Courtney sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "I think I'll call my brother and have him pick me up, then."

"Gotta leave so soon?" Trent inquired, offering Courtney some chips.

Courtney took a couple of the potato chips and nodded. "My mom's going to get worried." Courtney looked around the room. "Where's Duncan?"

"Oh, Duncan had to get home; his mom needed help with something," Geoff replied. "He told me to tell you to rest some more and that he'll see you tomorrow."

Courtney surprisingly felt a little disappointed and resentful that Duncan had left without telling her. But she certainly wasn't going to let anyone else know that.

"Seems to care a lot for you, Courtney," Geoff said mischievously, smiling at the still sluggish brunette. "What say you, sister?"

Courtney scrunched her nose at the blonde. "Don't play matchmaker, Geoff; it's beastly for a man." She got up and headed towards the bathroom down the hall. "I'm going to use your bathroom, all right?"

"It's not beastly!" Geoff exclaimed, offended. "What's wrong with playing Cupid?" He looked at Trent for support.

Trent shrugged. "Hell if I know." Then, the musician grinned. "You know women; everything we do is beastly to them."

"I hear ya, man," Geoff sighed. "Bridgette once wouldn't talk to me for a week when I used her shaving razor."

"_Some people are like Slinkies... not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs." -Author Unknown_

Courtney was just washing her hands in the bathroom when her Blackberry rang.

Upon checking the Caller ID, she saw that it was James and quickly picked up.

"Hello?"

"Courtney? You ready to go home yet?" James asked, sounding a little fretful.

Courtney wiped her hands on some towels. "Yeah; I was just about to call you and tell you to come pick me up."

"Um, well," James hesitated. "You feeling up to going out for dinner tonight?"

Courtney frowned. "Not really. I'd rather just sleep."

"Oh. Well…" James paused.

"James, is there something you're not telling me?" Courtney asked suspiciously.

James took a deep breath and said quickly without stopping, "Dad called and invited all of us over for dinner at his house."

Courtney squinted her eyes. "What? Go to dinner at Dad's house?"

Did she hear correctly? Never had her father ever invited them over to his house for dinner before.

"I'm guessing Nancy wanted us to come over. Dad called Mom just right now; told us to come to his place at seven and, I guess, hang out and have dinner."

"Is Mom coming?" Courtney asked, noticing how hideous she looked in the mirror. God, she couldn't go out to dinner looking like this.

James was quiet. "No. Dad invited her. But she made up an excuse; said she was working tonight."

"Mom doesn't work night shifts," said Courtney, already knowing why her mother had lied.

"I know. But she wanted us to go anyway. Said that, well, these people are going to be our relatives. We should get to know them. Or something like that," replied James, sounding just as sullen as Courtney felt.

"I guess we should go then," Courtney said at last. "Nothing much we can do about it. And besides. If that's what Mom wants…"

"It's what she wants," James repeated.

"Then I guess you'll be coming to pick me up right now?" Courtney asked, her voice a little tense.

"Yeah. See you in a few," James replied before hanging up.

Courtney looked at her phone, the words Call Ended standing out brightly on the screen.

Dinner at her dad's house with the freakishly perfect people.

Oh, joy.

A fleeting image of Justin and Kristina popped into Courtney's mind, Justin's breathtaking smile lingering for a moment.

Courtney leaned against the cool counter, lips pursed.

This weekend certainly wasn't going according to plan.

"_May I never be complete. May I never be content. May I never be perfect. Deliver me, Tyler, from being perfect and complete." -Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club, Chapter 5_

**Duncan:**

Duncan squinted his eyes, tears blurring his vision. His knife deftly chopped the onion into small dices.

Damn, that thing burned.

"Duncan, you're such a sweetie," said his mom, touching him gently on the shoulder.

"I can't believe you called me home to do this for you, Mom," Duncan complained, scrunching his nose. "What would Uncle Robbie say if he knew?"

"He'd be proud of you," Mrs. Mariano replied.

"For what? helping you cook?" Duncan asked distastefully.

"You're doing a very manly job, honey," Mrs. Mariano said lightly over her shoulder.

Duncan rolled his eyes.

His mom had called him home solely for the fact that she wanted someone to cut the onions; his mother hated cutting up onions.

It was demeaning, for a guy like him to have to do something like this, Duncan thought sulkily, tossing the onion pieces into the large ceramic bowl.

But deep down, he liked cooking. Not like he would tell anyone that, of course.

"How're you getting along in school, Duncan?" Mrs. Mariano asked.

"Fine," Duncan said, shrugging. "Same old, same old."

"I haven't heard from the principal lately," she said a bit proudly. "Been keeping your nose out of trouble, right?"

Duncan made a face. "Please. I just haven't had the time yet."

Mrs. Mariano grinned at Duncan, knowing that he was just joking. "How's you and the girls? I know you're quite the ladies man."

"What girls?" Duncan asked innocently, reaching for a carrot to chop it. "I don't talk to girls, Momma."

"Heard from a reliable source that you're hanging out with a wonderful girl named Courtney," Mrs. Mariano said casually, ladling in her soup.

Duncan stopped his chopping and frowned at his mother. "Has Uncle Robbie been talking to you again?"

Mrs. Mariano smiled, dimples showing up on either side of her lips. "You like her, Dunk?"

"She's crazy, Mom," Duncan said, shaking his head. "Even crazier than Auntie Rosabella."

Mrs. Mariano patted Duncan's shoulder; he was so tall now that it was quite a feat for her to do so.

"Sweetie, if there's one thing you should know, crazy women are the best ones out there," Mrs. Mariano said wisely. "And from what I hear, this Courtney girl is the top of her class."

"She has to be the top in everything," Duncan said, rolling his eyes. He stifled a snicker as he had a not-so-innocent thought about Courtney being on top.

Mrs. Mariano frowned. "Duncan, you have such a dirty mind; exactly like your father."

"Not even!" Duncan protested.

"But you do like this girl, don't you?" Mrs. Mariano pressed, her wide sea-green eyes demanding.

"Mom," Duncan said, backing up a bit, "No! I guess---I mean--- I don't know." He held up his hands in defense. "I don't know!"

"You little liar," Mrs. Mariano said, narrowing her eyes playfully and pointing her red manicured nail in his face. "But if you don't want to tell your good old mother who breastfed you so painfully when you were little… Did I tell you about that time you nearly bit off my---"

Duncan cut in quickly before she could finish her sentence, "Mom. Don't."

Mrs. Mariano looked offended. "Dunk, how could you brush off a moment of your life when---"

Thankfully, the phone rang. Mrs. Mariano went over to the counter where the cordless phone was, peering at the Caller ID.

"It's your father," Mrs. Mariano said, wiping her hands on a pink piece of cloth.

She picked up. "Hello?"

Duncan tuned out of the conversation and went back to chopping the vegetables.

His mind rewinded back to what his mother had just asked him.

"_Do you like her?"_

he actually like Courtney?

Sure, he liked lots of other girls. There was Marielle, Jackie, Joanna, Lesley… All super hot chicks. What was it about Courtney that made him feel, well, different?

Duncan mentally ticked off the things he liked about her.

First: she was independent. Duncan had many run-ins with girls who were clingy, needy, and totally dependent on him for everything. From what Duncan knew, Courtney didn't need anyone. She hated accepting help from people, too, especially him.

Second: she was smart and witty. If there was one thing Duncan liked in a girl, it was that she had some sense in her. Vapid girls like Lindsey were good for summer flings, but they wore off after a while. You got bored of just good looks and a hot body after a while. Of course, it takes a while, but still. You get bored. With Courtney, you could actually have a good conversation. She kept it fresh for him.

Third: She was feisty. Energetic girls like Courtney always turned Duncan on. Little Miss C.I.T never backed down from anything; she was just hardheaded like that. And he was attracted to that, yes.

It also helped that she was good-looking, not to mention rich. Duncan didn't know much about name brands, but from what he saw, Princess was high up there with the Italian people.

And fourth of all, she was unpredictable. Full of surprises. Princess always had Duncan second-guessing himself. That was a good thing because then, she could never bore him. Too many girls had flown out of Duncan's life because they were dead boring.

Of course, Duncan argued with himself, there had to be something he disliked about Courtney. Never before had he met a girl without a flaw.

Well… Duncan struggled to find something wrong with Courtney.

She was mean, he feebly thought. Pretty mean.

But even then he knew that he enjoyed Courtney's 'meanness'. If anything, it just attracted him to her even more.

Well, Duncan reasoned with himself. Maybe it's only because he was new to this school; surely some other girl would come along and sweep him off his feet.

"_What's so wrong about liking Courtney?" _a tiny voice said in the back of Duncan's head.

"_Everything!" _Duncan argued back. People like Courtney and people like him just didn't mix. It broke against all the rules. And besides. Duncan had sworn to himself that he would never interact with preppy, rich people like Courtney.

_Yet here I am, _Duncan thought sullenly. _Fighting_ _with myself on whether or not I like Princess._

_You know you do_, the voice said stubbornly. _Stop lying, you jackass._

Nope.

_You do._

No comprendo, amigo.

_Don't deny it; you like her. A lot. _

He bit his lips. Okay, so what if he did? What if he _did_ like her?

Was it so wrong if he liked a chick that was uptight and preppy and intellectual? Was it so wrong that he liked a pretty girl who was smart and witty and kept him on his toes? Was it so_ wrong_ that he liked a girl who made him smile and laugh on a daily basis?

_But think of what Kristian will say when he hears_, another voice warned.

Kristian. Duncan winced. His best friend; they had sworn to each other that they would never fall for crazy chicks like Courtney.

"So what?" Duncan said aloud to himself. "I don't care. And if Kristian does, he can go to hell."

_So you do like her?_ his inner self whispered in his ear.

_Yeah. I do._

_I like Courtney Mann. More or less._

"_I want to swim away but don't know how  
Sometimes it feels just like I'm falling in the ocean."_  
_-Blue October, "Into The Ocean._

**A/N: Finally! I've gotten Duncan to admitting that he likes her! Wonder how he'll react around her at school? Up next, the dinner at the Manns! Read and review guys, and bear with me on the slow update. Choosing A.P classes for junior year takes a lot of thinking time. A.P Chemistry or A.P U.S, peoples? xD **

**Shout outs to: Demon Kaizoku. Your review was very in-depth and I really appreciated it! Thank you so much! Thank you to everyone else who reviewed also!**

**Answers for those who questioned: This is for you, Intrigued Soul! You asked why I do the "Duncan:" when I showed him cutting up the onions? Well, basically, it's to show whose POV it is. Sometimes, you know, I get confused when I read fanfics that have more than one main character's POV, so, you know, usually, I'd be reading halfway through a section and then be all, "Oh, wait, this is the OTHER character's POV!" Well. Maybe I'm just retarded. This is a long answer for such a simple question, but, oh well. I like going deep. **

**Also, I have another question: What do you think Kristian should be personified as? Another delinquent(predictably) or, more on the fun side, someone else with a totally different personality than Duncan's? xD SEND IN ANY SUGGESTIONS! I promise to consider all of them(:**


	15. The Dinner

**Chapter Fifteen: The Dinner**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of TDI. Except for the plot. So there. **

"_The words 'I am' are potent words; be careful what you hitch them to. The thing you're claiming has a way of reaching back and claiming you." –A.L. Kitselman_

**Courtney:**

"I don't like this," Courtney said, staring at the large front door of her father's house. "I really don't like this."

Her father's house was very upscale; he lived in those neighborhoods where plastic surgeons, doctors, news anchors all lived.

Her father himself was a brain surgeon; one of, Courtney thought bitterly, the best in the state.

But his house was so… forbidding. Despite the bright dahlias and roses set along the gardens in the front yard, and the Welcome mat set in front of the door, there was still something about the house that just pushed Courtney away.

There was an unnatural sense of perfection to it. Something that looked like it came out of the set of the Stepford Wives movie.

It was _too _perfect.

The house must have been about three stories high; they even had marble columns at the front of the house! The outside of the building was immaculately white, with pristine carvings on the windows and stones.

Courtney fidgeted with her purse and repeated, more for herself than anything, "I really, really don't like this."

"And you think I do?" James asked sarcastically, leaning forward to ring the doorbell.

Courtney self-consciously brushed the front of her blouse.

Despite the fact that she disliked going to dinner with her other 'family', she still wanted to impress them. So, she decided to wear her new black and pink V-neck empire dress from Calvin Klein and simple white Louis Vuitton heels.

And, of course, her favorite handbag from Coach. She also spent half an hour straightening her hair until they were sleek and razor sharp; a look that went well with her outfit.

"How do I look?" Courtney asked, tugging at James's sleeve.

"Fine," James said distractedly, sparing his sister a glance. "How do _I _look?"

"Fine, except you got a, wait---" Courtney went on her tippy-toes to straighten out a stray lock of hair when the front door opened.

Courtney hastily turned around, coming face-to-face with a beaming Nancy. Even at home, she looked faultless.

Nancy had on a floral-print black silk eveningwear dress; dainty white slippers were on her feet. Her glossy chestnut hair was tied up into a low chiffon at the base of her neck. And she had on an unusual amount of jewelry for an at-home dinner: a sparkling bracelet of diamonds, swirly diamond earrings and a necklace of multi-colored diamond and rubies.

"Hey, you guys!" Nancy said cheerfully, ushering in James and Courtney. "Oh my goodness, Courtney, your dress is beautiful!"

"Thank you," Courtney said awkwardly, taking off her shoes in the entrance hall.

Though Nancy really was a nice person, Courtney decided, she still didn't like the woman. Like this mansion, Nancy was just too perfect. Unnaturally perfect. So were her kids.

Again, the thought of the Stepford Wives movie with Nicole Kidman popped into Courtney's head.

"James, you look very handsome tonight," complimented Nancy. She went on her tippy-toes and fixed the piece of hair Courtney was about to straighten out. "There," she said, standing back.

"Thank you," James said, smiling. He looked kind of unnerved at the motherly way Nancy was treating him.

"Okay, guys," Nancy said over her shoulder as she led them into the kitchen. "Your father and the kids are just setting the tables; I hope you like filet mignon and crème brulee, because that's what we're having tonight!"

Courtney forced on a smile. "I love crème brulee."

Nancy beamed. "That's wonderful!" She called into the kitchen, presumably to Justin or Kristina. "Guys, they're here! Are you done setting the table?"

There was a distant, "Almost," reply in the kitchen.

Courtney looked around the interior of the house. Like its exterior and everyone else in it, the house was immaculate and elegantly designed. It looked like it came out of a Town & Home magazine.

"Sit down and make yourself comfortable," Nancy said, inviting Courtney and James to sit on the plush red sofa. There was a huge thirty-two inch flat screen with surround sound speakers. James himself looked impressed with the state-of-the-art home theater.

Courtney sat down on the velvet sofa, her feet sinking a few inches into the thick, soft white Persian rug. It really was comfortable, she admitted. But still, the aura of the house suffocated her.

"Your father will be home in a minute or so, he's running a bit late tonight," Nancy smiled, straightening out a few magazines on the mahogany wood coffee table. "Let me go check on the filet, all right?"

She left off to the kitchen, leaving a smell of lilac perfume in her wake.

"Well," James said, staring at the blank TV screen. "I like filet mignon. That's good, right? And crème brulee is welcome anytime."

"Yeah." Courtney looked around the living room. Honestly, it had a very antique, Victorian feel to it, what with the burgundy walls and the gold-embossed lamps and the marble white fireplace. The only thing that seemed modern were the plasma flat-screen TV and the original contemporary art placed here and there on the smooth walls.

"Hey," said a voice from behind Courtney.

Courtney looked around, her breath catching in her throat when she saw it was Justin.

She didn't know what it was about him, but every time she caught sight of him, her stomach did a lurch. Of course, this was an instinctive reaction; girls could only do that around someone as good-looking as Justin.

Justin's frosty blue eyes caught with hers. His lips curved into a smile. "Glad you guys are coming over for dinner." He came around the sofa and sat himself down in the white armchair besides Courtney.

"Well, we're family, right?" James said, trying to sound nonchalant and failing terribly.

Justin inclined his head and smiled slightly. He was handsome as ever today, dressed in a black Armani sweater and gray urban jeans. There was a silver cross necklace gleaming against the black fabric of his sweater.

There was a soft rustle as Kristina, her aura soft, yet dominating. She seated herself on the chintz armchair across from Courtney.

Courtney felt uncomfortable, like as if cornered by these two beautiful creatures. Having James beside her only made the situation slightly better.

Kristina, like her mother, was far too pretty for her own good. Today, she was dressed in a floaty royal purple dress similar to that of Courtney's, and her black hair was tied up in one sleek, thick braid and swung over her shoulder elegantly. Her legs were bare excepting some slim white slippers with the word Juicy Couture etched on the front. On her ears were large diamonds and on her wrist, a silver toggle charm bracelet with many antique charms dangling off the links.

Courtney felt another sour stab of annoyance. Or jealousy. Why did this girl have to be so _perfect _in everything?

"Hi," Kristina said in honeyed tones to James. Her blue-gray eyes then settled on Courtney. Kristina's rosy lips curved into an all-too-friendly smile for Courtney's liking. "Hello, Courtney."

"Hi," Courtney replied, smiling sweetly back.

There was a silence. James cleared his throat.

"So," started Courtney, taking a brave stab at conversation, "I guess you're going to be at my school this Monday?"

Kristina nodded, "Yeah. I'm kind of excited. I've been going to a private boarding school since god knows when." She rolled her beautiful eyes.

"That's cool," James said, joining in. "But isn't, um, Justin in public school?"

Justin nodded. "That's right, man."

"So then why were_ you_ in private school?" Courtney asked curiously.

"Oh," Kristina said, looking down at her glossy maroon nails. "I just didn't want to go to a public school. But now, I kind of want to get out."

She looked up and smiled at Courtney. Courtney kind of got the feeling that Kristina was leaving something out. But it wasn't any of her right to snoop. So the C.I.T left it at that.

"Well," Courtney said, trying to be friendly, "We can hang out at school sometime then; I can show you around."

"That's cool," Kristina replied, looking pleased. Whether than expression was real or not, Courtney did not know.

"Hey, you should hang out with me sometime, too, Courtney," Justin said, reclining back in his chair. "Get to know each other more." A sly smile played around his lips, telling Courtney that he still remembered their last conversation.

Courtney swallowed. "Sure."

Her, hang out with Justin? It was unthinkable, almost.

The front door opened.

"That'd be Daddy," Kristina said, standing up and hurrying into the foyer.

Courtney felt slightly annoyed. And jealous. It was weird to have a stranger call your father 'Daddy'. Due to her selfish nature, Courtney did not like sharing. And that counted her father, too. Whom she hated still.

Mr. Mann came into the living room, Kristina's arm looped through his.

Courtney found herself staring at the way Kristina was holding on to her step-father almost possessively, and was looking at Courtney like as if daring her to steal him back.

"Hey!" Mr. Mann said, his face lighting up at the sight of James and Courtney. "It's my two pride and joy! Come here, Courtney; give your Dad a hug."

Courtney saw Kristina's face darken slightly as Mr. Mann shook off her arm and came towards Courtney for a hug.

"Glad you could come here for dinner," Mr. Mann said cheerfully, hugging Courtney tightly. He smelled of sandalwood cologne, though the medical scent of the hospital still lingered on him. "Your mom didn't come?" he asked, looking around.

"No," James said, coming up beside his father. "She's working overtime tonight."

"Pity," Mr. Mann said, sounding sincerely disappointed. "Well, that's too bad. You guys find this place all right?"

"Took a while, but I got here," James said a little proudly. He had never been to his father's house before, and the fact that he got here based on Google instructions alone was, well, pretty admirable. To him.

"That's my man," Mr. Mann said, grasping James's shoulder.

Though Courtney was delighting in rubbing in Kristina's face, it bothered her that her father was acting like as if he saw them every day. Like as if he was extremely familiar with them.

In truth, this was only about the second or third time she had seen her father in a year. It's not like he really bothered to keep in touch before.

"You're home, Dean!" Nancy said, coming out of the kitchen. "Come to the table; food's ready."

"Sure, just let me wash up," Mr. Mann said, smiling at Courtney before going to the bathroom down the hall.

"Come on," Nancy said, looking giddy at the prospect of having dinner with James and Courtney.

"Do you want me to set the table?" Courtney asked out of politeness. But when she looked on the large dinner table for eight, she saw that it was already set. With the best china there was to offer, she noticed.

All the plates were rimmed with gold, and the silver forks and spoons and knives gleamed in the light. There was even a huge, magnificent crystal chandelier hanging from the wall above the table. A crystal vase full of flowers was set as a beautiful centerpiece.

Courtney got the feeling that Nancy was trying very hard to make everything nice for her and James.

"She's really excited you're here for dinner," Justin murmured in Courtney's ear.

She turned around with a jump; she was so engrossed in the classy decoration, she didn't notice the dark-haired teen come up.

Justin looked down at her, his face amused. "She spent all day finding the right flowers and tablecloth."

He nodded at the pure white tablecloth that had silver designs embossed all over it. Etched into the hems of the tablecloth was the initials LV, standing for Louis Vuitton.

"That's sweet of her," Courtney said, hoping she sounded sincere. "Does she always make food like this for dinner?"

Justin gave a laugh. "Usually she works overtime, so we hire a private chef."

Courtney's eyes widened. "You have a private chef?"

She knew her father was well off; but she never knew how well off he was. They had their own private chef? Did he have any idea how much private chefs charged per course?

"Yeah; his name's Franzo Botticelli," Justin said, shrugging modestly. "He cooks great, but, to be honest, I like my mom's cooking more. But she never has time to make food like this for us, so," Justin rubbed his hands together, "I'm kind of psyched."

"A private chef," Courtney repeated. "That's crazy."

"Well, it's not so crazy if you live with people like us; I mean, none of us can cook to save our lives," Justin said, grinning beautifully at Courtney.

"Food's ready; hope you guys are hungry!" Nancy sang, coming to the table, arms laden with a bowl of risotto and a platter of steaming steak. Only at the sight of food did Courtney realize how hungry she was; all she had eaten was that small bowl of fruits at Denny's. The aroma itself was making Courtney salivate.

"Okay, guys, let's be seated," Mr. Mann said as he came into the dining room. He took a spot at the head of the table. He patted the empty seat beside him and smiled at Courtney.

She took that as a sign to mean that he wanted her to sit next to him.

Courtney smiled back and went to the take her seat. She saw Kristina shoot her step-father an annoyed look.

"James, sit next to your dad," Mr. Mann said, gesturing at the other empty seat besides him.

James complied, looking slightly uncomfortable at the fact that Kristina looked a little offended.

Kristina sat next to Courtney, her face stony as Justin took a seat besides James.

Nancy placed the large tray in the middle of the table, next to the flowers. Then, she put a small bowl of dinner rolls besides the tray of risotto. Besides the risotto, she had a silver platter with elegant little cuts of filet mignon surrounded with greens. And next to that was a plate of boiled zucchini and potatoes, Italian style. In front of all of them were pristine crystal glasses. There was a bottle of sparkling apple cider right by the risotto.

Nancy really did put in her best, Courtney had to admit.

"Okay, well, first, we have to say our grace," Mr. Mann said. He looked at James. "James, will you do the honor?"

"Er," James said, looking a little taken aback. "Okay." He hesitantly held hands with Justin and his father; Courtney grasped her father's hand and Kristina's. She was a little surprised at how small and slender Kristina's hand was.

James bowed his head, face contorted in concentration.

Courtney's mind quickly whirred to movies where she had seen the traditional "before-dinner grace" take place. Various phrases and words ran through her mind; now if only she could telepathically send them to her brother, who seemed to be having a lot of trouble.

James was quiet; Courtney supposed he was still trying very hard to think of a decent grace.

A few moments passed.

Everyone around the table was growing restless, but they were quiet out of politeness.

Courtney kicked James gently under the table; his legs jerked in response.

"W-we thank the Lord for putting the food on this table," James started a little awkwardly, closing his eyes tightly. "Um…"

Courtney could understand why James was a little uneasy about saying grace.

To be honest, Courtney's mother never really did do that little grace ceremony before dinner. She was a Christian, if not anything else, and so were Courtney and James. But the Mann family didn't go to church every Sunday, and they certainly didn't do stuff like this.

James paused, "And we thank for the, um, risotto and filet mignon and the vegetables, which I'm sure are very delicious—oh, uh, wait, and there's the crème brulee, too, and…"

The brunette felt a twinge of sympathy for her brother; he must be so nervous. Courtney peeked open one cat-green eye to see how James was doing. His face was scrunched in concentration; his cheeks were a bright red.

"And, uh," James faltered. "We thank you for feeding us in our time of need… we all know what hard times the economy's coming into… It's pretty hard to get a good dinner like this, and, uh…"

Courtney saw Justin's face crease up in confusion.

James really didn't know what he was talking about now.

"Please look to those that are hungry, amen," James finished hastily, opening his eyes.

"Amen," Courtney mumbled along with the rest of the table.

"Here, have a roll, James," Nancy said brightly, handing him a warm dinner roll.

James gratefully accepted it, glad that no one commented on his horrendous grace.

"This is delicious," Courtney said as she took a bite of the risotto. Of course, she said it to be polite, but also because she really thought the food was good. Nancy could cook pretty well.

"Yeah," James added in quickly, trying to do his part, "It's really good."

Nancy's face lit up with a huge smile. "Why, thank you, darling. I did try hard to make it perfect for you guys."

"Well," James said cheerfully, "You hit the spot."

"Son, stop kissing up to my fiancée," Mr. Mann said jokingly, punching his son gently on the arm.

"So, Courtney," Nancy said interestedly, looking at Courtney over her wine glass, "I heard that you want to go into business when you grow up? Your father told me."

"Oh," Courtney said, surprised. "Yes. I do want to go into business and financing as a career."

"You know, I work in the business part of the city," Nancy said, looking delighted as she spooned some risotto on her plate. "I could show you around at my corporate building, sometime."

Courtney's father patted her hand and said, smiling, "Nancy is the CEO of the Neiman Marcus company. You like fashion, right?"

"Neiman Marcus?" Courtney gasped. She turned to Nancy, all previous dislike ebbing away as a surge of great respect filled the petite brunette. "_You're_ the CEO of Neiman Marcus?"

She had no clue, no idea, that Nancy was the CEO of such a prestigious business.

"Well," Nancy said, looking modest, "Actually, my father's the CEO of the company right now, but as of next month, I'm taking his place. He's retiring." She passed Courtney the bowl of boiled zucchinis.

Courtney took some of the steaming vegetables, excitement rising in her. She loved clothing from Neiman Marcus; couldn't help but spend all her money when she went into their boutiques.

"That's amazing!" Courtney exclaimed. "I love Neiman Marcus!"

Courtney still didn't like Nancy. But she _was _the CEO of a multi-million dollar company. And that earned some respect.

"Well, all us girls should have a day out and Kristina and I'll show you the company's latest designs!" Nancy said exuberantly, looking openly excited. She looked at her daughter, who was sitting quietly besides her, "Kristina herself wants to go into the fashion designing business when she's old enough."

Kristina looked up from her plate and smiled at Courtney. There was something about her smile that made Courtney uncomfortable.

"That's awesome," James said, grinning at Kristina.

Kristina smiled beautifully back, her dimples lighting up her face.

Courtney wondered why Kristina didn't smile at her like that. She certainly didn't have dimples before.

"James, you still on that swimming team of yours?" Mr. Mann asked interestedly after taking a bite of his turkey.

"Yeah," James nodded.

"You win any meets lately?" Justin asked, tearing apart a soft dinner roll; Courtney could see the steam furl out of the dough.

"Every single one so far," James said, grinning. "Not to sound conceited or anything."

"Justin's on the swim team at his high school, too," Nancy added. "Maybe you guys could get together; see each other's meets or something."

Oh, yes; Courtney had forgotten. Justin was on the swim team; a most befitting sport, Courtney decided. Justin loved to rip off his shirt when he felt hot.

The bleachers were always filled with silly girls during practices and meets; they were only there to see Justin in a Speedo. Not because they cared about the sport or anything.

Courtney herself had gone simply to see how godlike Justin could be. Gossip around the school got her extremely curious.

She had to admit, she was impressed by the time the competition was over. Justin was just like another Michael Phelps when he was in the water. Except, undoubtedly, a lot more good-looking.

James nodded. "Yeah, that'd be cool. I'll come to one of your swim meets."

"Same here, man," Justin said, smiling. "Maybe we can race sometime."

Well. At least Justin and her brother were getting along well; the same could not be said for Kristina and Courtney. The two had not really interchanged a word with each other at all during the dinner.

"Courtney," Kristina asked out of nowhere, her blue-gray eyes gleaming in the subdued light, "Have you gotten a dress for the wedding yet?"

Courtney stopped, the fork midway to her mouth.

She hadn't thought about preparing for the wedding yet, though it was only a month or two away.

Still though; it felt like Kristina was purposely rubbing it in her face that her parents were getting married.

Which ticked Courtney off.

She didn't like losing. Courtney could see James and Justin gazing intently at her from across the table.

"No, I didn't," Courtney said at last after finding her voice. "I haven't had time just yet."

"We've been kind of busy lately," James put in, trying to help his sister out.

Nancy shook her head, "Well, we can't have that; the wedding comes up in a month!" She smiled warmly at Courtney and James. "I have an idea! Why don't I come 'round your place next weekend; we could go shopping together for the perfect gown! After all," she finished, looking directly at Courtney, "you are the maid of honor."

"Yeah," Courtney muttered, looking down at her plate. "I am."

She could feel Kristina's gaze on her and tried her best to avoid the burn of the stare.

She _did_ need a dress. But she didn't want to go shopping with Nancy, nonetheless, Kristina.

"But," Courtney said, in an effort to stop the coming event, "I really don't want to bother you; I mean, you're probably really busy on the weekends. I could just ask---"

"No, not at all!" Nancy cut in, smiling. "Besides, I think this little shopping trip will help us get to know each other a little more."

Courtney felt like gagging. But she had to be respectful; her mother would want her to be.

"That… that would be great," Courtney said at last, managing a smile.

"Well, if you ladies are having a night out," Mr. Mann said, wiping his mouth with a cloth napkin, "Then we should have an all-guy's day, right?" He looked at James and Justin. "First, though, we gotta get some good tuxes. After that, it's up to you guys."

"Sure," Justin shrugged. "I'm up for it. How about you?" Justin turned to look at James.

James blinked. "Um, when?"

"When these girls have _their_ day out!" Mr. Mann said, grinning. "Don't want to be left out, now, do we?"

James looked like as if he very much wanted to be left out. But, probably thinking of his mother, too, James nodded. "Yeah, that'd be cool."

Kristina was silently chewing on the steak; clearly, she wasn't very pleased with the results.

Courtney herself did not look forward to having a girl's day out with Nancy and Kristina. But there was no choice. And besides. Shopping for a new gown might make up for the trip.

Might.

"_Maybe you don't like your job, maybe you didn't get enough sleep, well nobody likes their job, nobody got enough sleep. Maybe you just had the worst day of your life, but you know, there's no escape, there's no excuse, so just suck up and be nice." -Ani Difranco_

By the time dinner was over, Courtney felt, if anything,_ slightly_ more comfortable in the atmosphere.

The mention of the wedding, however, did nothing to make her like Nancy and her step-family more.

Once everyone had finished their last bite, and the plates were empty, Nancy stood up, saying, "Well, you guys just talk in the living room; I'll be cleaning up the table and be bringing out the dessert."

"I'll help you," Courtney said graciously, standing up. "I don't mind."

"Oh, you really shouldn't; I don't want to---"

"That's okay, Mom," Justin said, standing up gracefully after giving his slender lips a little dab with the cloth napkins. "I'll go clear the table." He gave Courtney a glance, eyes smoldering. "That is, you don't mind helping me, do you?"

Courtney nodded jerkily. "S-sure."

"Oh, you're so sweet," Nancy said, looking down at Courtney fondly.

Courtney managed a smile at Nancy.

"Um," James stood up, looking awkward.

Kristina looked up at him, her pretty face amused.

"Well, I should, uh, help, too," James said, reaching for a plate.

"Your sister's already doing the job," Mr. Mann said jovially. "Come on. You can come into the living room with me; we can talk man to man, you know?"

With that, he stood up and all but dragged James into the other room. Kristina daintily got out of her seat, following her step-father.

Nancy cast a look at Justin and Courtney, who were piling dishes into their arms, "You sure you guys don't need help?"

"I'm fine," Courtney said, looking briefly at Nancy, who was standing in the doorway.

"Yeah, we're fine, Mom," Justin said, his eyes steady on Courtney.

Courtney swallowed.

What was Justin up to?

Nancy smiled. "All right, then. If you have any trouble, tell me."

When she was out of earshot, Justin shot Courtney a grin. "God. She acts like as if I can't do anything around here."

Courtney highly doubted, by Justin's spoiled boy look, that he could do anything that required work.

It was extremely awkward being in the room alone with Justin.

She could hear James being interrogated by Nancy and Mr. Mann in the other room and, for a moment, was thankful that she was here instead.

There was silence in the room as Courtney idly took her dish that held the remnants of her dinner. Justin himself wasn't doing anything; he just simply stood there, watching Courtney, his expression unreadable.

"Is there a problem, Justin?" Courtney asked irritably, after she could ignore his gaze no longer.

When he didn't reply, Courtney cocked her head towards him, eyebrows raised. Justin still stood there, head tilted slightly, eyes searching.

Courtney frowned, and then looked away. She didn't like having people stare at her like that. "You know, Justin, if there's a proble---"

"I know you don't like us," Justin said at last, his lips twisted into a wry smile.

Courtney looked up from her pile of dishes, startled. "What?"

Justin shrugged and took the dishes into the kitchen. Courtney followed, her heart thumping uncomfortably against her chest.

Even in her shocked state, Courtney couldn't help but admire the beautiful kitchen. But for the moment, her gaze was fixated on Justin, whose back was turned towards her, shoulders tense on the marble counter.

She couldn't see his face.

"Justin…?" Courtney asked hesitantly, afraid that he was angry.

"It's kind of disappointing, really," Justin said lightly. "It would've been nice to be friends with you."

Courtney bit her lips, her mind boggling at the thought of what was happening.

"I don't hate you guys," she babbled, "I'm just sick, that's all. Being sick makes me not very happy, that's all."

"Oh, don't lie to me," Justin said, turning around. He looked slightly amused. "If I were you, I'd be pretty pissed off, too. Out of nowhere, three total strangers come into your family, take away your dad. I'd be surprised if you didn't hate our guts."

"I don't hate your guts," Courtney said earnestly. "I'm just not used to you, yet." She went up beside him and placed her dishes besides his.

"And my mom's not making it any better," Justin continued, like as if Courtney had said nothing. "I know how she is. But honestly, Courtney," he locked his cool blue eyes with her green ones. "She does like you and she's trying really hard to get you to like her, too."

Courtney didn't look away; in fact, she held the gaze steady. He was indecently close to her; she could feel his warmth emanate towards her. But she was not going to let Justin make her out as a bad guy.

"Sure, I don't love her, you or your sister like family yet," said Courtney baldly. "But that doesn't mean I hate everyone here. In fact, I think you all are pretty decent people."

Justin smiled, though he didn't look like as if he believed her anymore than she believed herself. "So you're saying that if given enough time, you could like us?"

Courtney shrugged. "Sure. Hypothetically."

"Hypothetically?" asked Justin, raising an eyebrow.

Courtney smiled slightly. "A good chance, then."

Justin's face curved up into a bright smile. "That's better."

Courtney looked at the model, her eyes odd. It was weird. Out of nowhere, Justin was more than just a god. He was a human being now, with real feelings. Real thoughts.

And that just made her think for a moment.

"And, well, I partly wanted to know," Justin said sheepishly, tousling the back of his hair, "Would you mind helping me with Calculus at school tomorrow? I really don't understand what we're learning."

Courtney blinked. "Help you with Calculus?"

"Yeah. I'll wait for you after Math class; we could hang out in the library," Justin offered.

The moment Courtney looked up at Justin and saw his expression, her heart melted. She couldn't say no to a guy like Justin. Already her knees were weak.

"Sure. Why not?" Courtney shrugged. She flashed Justin a smile. "We might as well be family."

Justin's face lit up with an honest-to-god smile, every delicate feature of his face lighting up. "That's what I was hoping to hear." His eyes focused on her head suddenly, and he leaned forward, his chest dreadfully close to her face. She could smell the scent of his cologne.

Her breath caught in her chest; for that moment, Courtney was mesmerized. What was he doing?

She felt a slight tug on her hair, and then a warm hand running down the side of her head, a little too slowly, a little too leisurely for her comfort.

Courtney looked up at Justin, eyes wide. She felt like a deer caught in headlights. He was so beautiful up close; she could see every chiseled features of his face, every line, every muscle. How deep were his blue eyes? How smooth could his skin be?

"Wha—What are you doing?" Courtney stammered, desperately trying not to sound too shaky. Damn it! She was going haywire; her senses weren't proper.

Justin smiled. "Your hair was out of place. I fixed it for you."

Courtney swallowed. Her hair wasn't the only thing out of place.

"You guys have to come over for dinner next week," Nancy said as she led them to front door, "What do you kids like to eat?"

Courtney blinked. "Next week?"

Nancy nodded.

Mr. Mann came up beside his wife. "We're all going to be family; might as well act like one, right?" He smiled as his eyes softened. "I want you guys to come over here often."

"Yes, Dad," James said obediently.

Justin and Kristina were standing to the side, silently watching the conversation. While Justin seemed to be enjoying it, Kristina was in a sullen silence, her eyes cast to the ground.

"Ask your mother if she can come over next time, too; it's such a pity she couldn't come today," Nancy said, looking sincerely disappointed. "I'd love to meet the woman who raised such good kids."

Courtney smiled at the compliment, and said as she slipped on her heels, "She's great. I think you'll get along well with her."

"Oh, I hope so," Nancy said, looking optimistic as she lifted a thoughtful hand to her red lips.

"Well, thanks for the dinner, Dad, Nancy," James said as he straightened up. "It was great."

Nancy smiled brightly. "It was nothing. Come over next week, too. And don't forget, Courtney," she looked at the brunette. "We're going shopping Saturday!"

Courtney nodded.

Mr. Mann leaned forward to open the door for James. "We'll see you guys next week, all right?"

"All right," Courtney and James intoned.

The door opened, bringing in the night's cold air.

Courtney gingerly stepped out into the cold, wrapping her coat about her.

"Bye," Justin called from behind his sister.

Courtney looked over her shoulder. She saw Justin waving at her. Courtney waved back, putting on a smile.

Kristina, too, held up her hand half-heartedly in a gesture of goodbye, while Mr. Mann and Nancy were all smiles.

"See you guys next week," James called as he hurried to the car.

"Drive safely!" Nancy said, her voice carrying over the wind.

Courtney hurriedly opened the car door and slid in. The moment the cozy leather of the car greeted her, Courtney felt an immense sense of security. The brunette gave a huge sigh of relief.

She was glad to be out of that place.

James got in next to her, and, mimicking her actions, also blew out a breath. He seemed just as frazzled as Courtney did.

"Let's go home, James," Courtney said at last, running her hand through her hair. "Mom will be waiting."

"Yeah." James started the car and slowly backed out of the driveway, waving at Mr. Mann's new family before heading out into the road.

It was quiet except for the rumble of the car, and the jingle of the keys. There weren't many cars on the road.

"Turn on the heat," Courtney said, wrapping her coat around her even tighter. "It's so cold in here."

"Well," James said, turning on the heater. "That wasn't too bad."

"What wasn't too bad?" the brunette asked idly, staring out the window, watching the night life go by.

James took a left turn. "You know what I mean. Nancy and her family. They're all right."

"They're like robots," Courtney said distastefully.

"At least they're good-looking robots, right?" James said helpfully, pausing at the red stoplight.

Courtney made a noncommittal shrug. "Easy for you to say. But you're not the one who's going to have to deal with Justin and Kristina 24/7 at school. You have college."

"Again," James repeated, grinning at his sister. "At least they're pretty darn attractive."

"Looks," Courtney spat nastily, "That's all you men care about."

James eyed Courtney shrewdly. "It's Kristina, isn't it?"

Courtney ignored her brother.

James leaned towards Courtney, his tone wheedling. "Come on. It's her that's making you so angry, huh?"

"So what?" Courtney asked tetchily. "So what if she is?"

James smiled slightly, his eyes returning to the road. "You're jealous."

"Am not," Courtney said, all too quickly.

"Yes, you are. I know you, Courtney," James said wisely. "You're jealous that Dad's got himself another daughter."

Courtney felt an inexplicable pang in her chest when she heard that, and as a result, felt even more annoyed than needed. "Shut up, already, all right? I don't care."

James was quiet for a moment, his eyes flicking towards Courtney. When he saw that she was in no imminent danger of tears, he said softly, his voice soothing over the soft blow of the heat, "Courtney, if anything, there's only one thing you should know."

"And what might that be?" Courtney asked angrily, crossing her arms. She refused to meet her brother's all-too-understanding gaze. She felt that if she did look at him, something bad might happen. To her, or to him, she didn't know.

James looked back towards the road, his expression unreadable, "You'll always come first to Dad. No matter what happens."

And on that mysterious note, James drove up into their driveway, where all was dark in the large white house, except for one solitary light up in their mother's room.

"_It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare." _

–_Mark Twain_

**A/N: So, what do you think? I find this a very interesting chapter that will eventually lead up to the true relationship of Courtney and Justin. And, I've been thinking it over, but I've decided that Justin and Courtney will NOT just be a one-sided relationship. Perceive that how you wish to(: So, anyway, read & review! A LOT, peoples. But, as I looked over the reviews, it seems some of you have missed the point: Of COURSE, it's a DxC fanfiction. Why on earth would I suddenly throw out the main pairing as JxC? That's ridiculousxD Just wait until the end! Then the answers will all come true! **

**P.S: I know a lot of you guys hate Justin and Kristina, but, well, I dunno. I kinda like themxD Character wise and perfection and all. It's fun writing about characters like them. But believe me, they're a lot more human than you would think. AND, the next chapter will have good 'ol Duncan's POV. Don't you worry your little heads! **

**Oh, and thank you, Sort of Ambiguous for correcting me. Yes, it IS a swim meet, not a game. Excuse my lack of knowledge in sports. **


	16. A Growing Jealousy

**Chapter 16: A Growing Jealousy**

**Disclaimer: Duncan, Courtney and other affiliated characters do not belong to me. **

_"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."_

_- Albert Einstein _

**Duncan:**

Duncan was sprawled across his bed, mouth lagging open, a trickle of drool slipping out of the corner of his lips. His head was nowhere near his pillow (Duncan always had a habit of roaming away from his cushion when asleep). In fact, his head was dangling haphazardly off the edge of the bed, toned arms swung by his head, and his legs were spread out across the bed, bent at odd angles.

If anything, Duncan looked like he was dead. But of course, he wasn't, because, well, that was just how he slept.

And he was having a very odd dream. He was the head of the Roman army, ready to take over his neighboring empire… his blade was at the ready, his armor firm upon his chest. His horse pawed at the ground impatiently. Thousands of soldiers were behind him, ready to charge at his command.

An invasion really was his favorite thing, Duncan decided. First, he would slay the emperor. Then, he would take all of the money and slaves and property and add it to his own huge empire.

And then there was her. The princess was on the other side; he was going to kidnap her and take her for his own. Together, he would build his domain with her and have dozens of sons, all brave, sturdy warriors.

What did the princess look like? He did not know what she looked like, but rumors told him that she was a very divine creature, the most beautiful woman in all of Rome, and maybe even the world.

That did it. He had to have her, for possession, for love, and for showing-off.

Duncan gave a battle cry, waving his sword high in the sky, and ran forward, his men behind him. His army broke through the gates, and they started charging towards the palace.

He was coming closer to her; he could nearly taste victory on his tongue. With one easy swipe, he felled the two guards standing at the main door. Duncan ran ahead into the fortress, leaving his men behind to take on the other soldiers; he had business to finish.

He remembered the instruction his spy had given him; up the stairs, down the hall, to the left. The door with the royal crest on it would be the princess's room.

Duncan found the said door, and burst through it, blade at the ready. He had a triumphant grin on his face as his eyes roved the room for the legendary beauty.

"I can't understand it. You actually managed to break in," said a haughty voice laced with disbelief and scorn. It came from the corner of the room.

Duncan whirled to the left and then he saw her, the princess, the woman that he was going to spend the rest of his life with, sitting on her royal embossed chair, a small leather book in her hands.

Women. Always reading books, even in a crisis like an invasion.

But it was true. The princess really was quite beautiful. Extraordinarily so. It was odd, Duncan mused, that he could think her beautiful even though he had not yet seen her face properly as it was covered by a red gauzy veil. But there was something emanating from her that just oozed pure exquisiteness. He didn't know how to explain it.

"No time to chat, beautiful," Duncan said, reaching out his hand to grab his princess. "You're gonna have to leave with me."

"Don't touch me," the princess said in disgust, wrenching her hand out of Duncan's. "God, I can't believe that you would have the nerve to do this to just burst in and do this to _me_!"

Duncan looked back, an eyebrow raised. "You know, the more you talk, the less beautiful you get?"

The princess's eyes flashed behind her veil. He caught a gleam of green. A very familiar green. Too familiar.

Caught by a sudden curiosity, Duncan snatched his hand out and yanked the veil off. What kind of girl would dare be brave enough to speak like this to Duncan Mariano, brutal leader of the Romans? He had to see her, had to look upon the face of such a fiery beauty.

And then he saw her bright emerald eyes, her indignant glare, her pursed ruby lips, her mahogany curls tied up in elegant buns.

"_Courtney_?" Duncan gasped in disbelief, his eyes bugging out at the sight of the snobby young woman. "What the hell are you doing here? You—_you're _the princess?" He started to choke up, the sudden realization of this too much for him to handle.

"Of course, I'm the princess," she sniffed contemptuously, jangling her many diamonds and rubies. "What else would you think I am?"

"Why the hell would someone make you a princess?" Duncan asked incredulously. "You're not even princess material! More like Amazonian!"

"You should know; you're the one who's conjuring up this ridiculous fantasy," Courtney replied nastily, her eyes scanning the huge window beside her. A bloody war was taking place; Duncan could hear the clangs and shouts of combat through the thick glass. "Roman wars. _Honestly._ You unrefined barbarian."

Duncan gave Courtney the most fixed glare his ferocious eyes could manage, "I would never make _you_ a princess, not even in my dreams! Why would I even want you as my bride, anyway? You---" he struggled for words to describe his feelings. "You're probably not even worth kidnapping; I don't need someone like you as my wife!"

Well, maybe. He needed a hard, tough woman. A woman that could stand his brutish behavior and manners. This princess here seemed to hit the spot.

Courtney narrowed her eyes and said softly, her voice sleek and dangerous, "Well, Duncan, this is your dream after all. Who said_ I_ had to be the bride?"

Duncan blinked. "Dream? What dream?"

Courtney rolled her eyes and gave a huge sigh, throwing up her arms in defeat. "Your stupidity is showing, Duncan. So just wake up and take me out of my misery."

Duncan bared his teeth, sword clutched in his hand, "Don't try to manipulate me, Princess, I know what you're trying to do! I've decided! I'm going to take you anyway, even if you are annoying as hell!"

And because you're so hot, Duncan noted in his mind. Though her personality was like a viper, she _was _incredibly good-looking.

Courtney looked at him contemptuously, upper lip curled magnificently. "You must think you're so big and manly carrying that sword, don't you? Why, I do feel sorry for you." Her green eyes focused on an object behind Duncan. "You should turn around, by the way," she said casually, raising her robed arms to point at something behind him.

Duncan whirled around at once, cursing at himself for his carelessness. But too late; a gladiator had somehow followed him up here and had managed to sneak in the princess's room with getting caught.

The Roman leader's mouth opened in shock as the gladiator raised his blade high above him. This was it? This was the end? This was how the legendary leader of the Roman empire went down?

The blade flew towards him, whistling as it cut through the air. Duncan stumbled back and fell, bracing himself for the hit, but then, oddly enough, the ground beneath him opened up, and then he saw the princess peering down the gaping hole, a triumphant smile on her lips, and he was left just falling aimlessly through darkness, his shouts echoing in his ears… Maybe Princess was right; maybe all of this was just a dream.

"_I think we dream so we don't have to be apart so long. If we're in each others dreams, we can be together all the time." –Calvin & Hobbes_

"_Argh!"_

There was a terrific crash as Duncan twitched and toppled headfirst onto the wood ground. He laid there on the floor for a few moments in utter shock that he was not, in fact, at war, but in his own room, safe and sound.

Duncan sat up, groaning as he rubbed his sore head.

Damn. Even in his heroic dreams he was plagued by Courtney.

"Honey?" Mrs. Mariano asked, poking her head into his room. "You okay?"

"Mom!" Duncan protested, instinctively taking his hands to cover up his chest. He really did need to stop sleeping half-naked; it was so inconvenient. "I'm not even dressed!"

"Well, what was I supposed to do?" Mrs. Mariano demanded. "Ignore that hell of a crash and go on with life? And I don't know why you Mariano men always insist on sleeping without a shirt on; it always gets so cold here at night. _Stupido ragazzo_."

Duncan winced at the insult. His own mother had called him a "stupid boy." And in Italian, too, which usually made it so much worse. When his mother was angry, she usually lost her English tongue and reverted to her native one. And everything she said in Italian always sounded so harsh.

Those Italians. Their personalities could change like the wind.

Mrs. Mariano sighed and picked up her son's fallen blanket, muttering in Italian, "_Uno di questi giorni sta per uccidere se stesso." _(Translation: "One of these days, he's going to kill himself."

Duncan bristled. Yes, his sleeping ways were unorthodox, but it didn't mean his mother had to talk about him like that. Mrs. Mariano usually forgot that Duncan could speak Italian fluently, having grown up with a grandmother and father who refused to speak any other language. As a child, the only way Duncan could get a cookie from his _nonna_ was to ask specifically in Italian, or else, she pretended not to understand him.

"_Capisco tutto ciò che stai dicendo, Madre," _Duncan said, rolling his eyes. "I understand every single word you say, Ma."

"I know," Mrs. Mariano said fondly. "That's what makes me so proud of you." She gingerly touched the red spot on Duncan's forehead. "So are you okay? That really was quite a fall you got."

"Yeah," Duncan said, blinking sleep from his eyes as he stood up. "I'm fine. Sort of. Maybe." He shrugged, ears ringing from the motion. "An ice pack would be nice later."

Mrs. Mariano shook her head. "Honestly, Duncan, sometimes I think I should just get a huge crib for you. You sleep like some crazy gorilla. Someday, you're going to have a concussion."

"Yeah, yeah," Duncan said, rolling his eyes. "Concussion, heart cancer, baldness, I know the works, Mom."

"Yes, well," she sniffed, "When you're done cleaning up yourself, come down and have breakfast. I have French toast." She headed down the stairs as Duncan headed to the bathroom, yawning widely.

On the first step, however, she paused. "Oh, yes. I almost forgot."

Duncan looked over his shoulder at his mother. "Yeah?"

"Kristian's mother called. She says she's going to be in New York for spring break, and apparently, Kristian's coming with her."

Spring break? That was just a week from now.

Duncan brightened immediately at the mention of his best friend; he hadn't seen Kristian since he moved to New Jersey (a place that, really, was nothing compared to NYC). "Really, now? Where are they bunking? Or," he planned to rephrase his question, "Better put, where is Kristian staying?"

Mrs. Mariano smiled. "I said he could sleep here for the week if he wanted."

Duncan's face broke into a grin. "That's great, Mom."

"Kristian will be coming here next Friday, so I should start cleaning up the guest room," Mrs. Mariano said, a hassled look coming back on her face. "And the rest of the house, too…" She turned back to her son. "Hurry and come down for breakfast before it gets cold!"

Duncan rolled his eyes. Nag, nag, nag, was that all mothers did?

There was a giddiness in Duncan's chest as he flipped on the bathroom light. Finally. After so long, he could meet up with his good ol' buddy again.

He hadn't realized how much he missed Kristian.

But there was a slight ominous whisper in the back of Duncan's mind, slowly whirring to the thoughts of a certain brunette.

Duncan felt a twinge of discomfort as he thought about how Kristian might react to Courtney. Perfect, pristine, snotty Courtney.

_Well, if he's got taste, _a voice chirped, _he'll love her._

Duncan snorted with laughter at that thought.

Good taste? If anything, that was the only quality Duncan lacked.

"_Life contains but two tragedies. One is not to get your heart's desires; the other is to get it." _

_-Socrates_

**Courtney:**

Courtney felt wondrously glad to be back at school. Never before was a weekend as long as this.

And, furthermore, she was glad to be away from her mother. Not because she hated her or anything, but Mrs. Mann was not a presence Courtney wanted to be around after the invite to the wedding and everything else her father thrust upon her.

Courtney didn't like seeing her mother like that. It just wasn't right.

She felt a lot better at school; it was empty. She was the only one there, it seemed. With a giddy bounce to her step, Courtney went to her private bench and took a deep breath of the fresh morning air.

No Duncan around to bother her, she thought, smiling to herself. No one but herself.

A few moments of peace passed, but soon, it was shattered.

"Courtney?" a voice asked tentatively, from beside the bench.

Courtney looked up. "Kristina?"

Kristina was looking down at her, and as always, she was fashionably dressed. A pale yellow blouse and a long, thin, black cardigan. She had on skinny jeans and those gladiator heels so many people had. Casual jewelry hung from her neck, wrists and ears, but, as Courtney's expert eye could see, she knew they were expensive. The signature brown Louis Vuitton bag hung from her shoulder.

Kristina's face was pale, cheeks red from the morning breeze, her black hair done in carefree, wind-blown waves, thick and voluminous.

"Why are you here so early?" Kristina asked, seating herself beside Courtney.

"I always come early," Courtney said primly. "It's a habit I've grown into."

Kristina smiled, her lips gleaming pink, "Actually, I've come early to look around the school. I don't want to be late to my first period and look stupid."

"What about Justin?" Courtney asked shrewdly. "He could've shown you around."

"He could," Kristina said, rolling her eyes. "But he has a second period start. So he can't show me to my first period."

"Do you want me to show you that class?" Courtney offered. "I know this school pretty well."

Kristina smiled again, her eyes glittering. "It's okay; I've already found it. And, well, I've already found a guy to escort me around school during breaks."

"Oh, really?" Courtney asked. "First day here and already?"

Well, what would you expect of someone as beautiful as Kristina?

She wondered who it was. Knowing someone as high-class as Kristina, it had to be someone good-looking, well-dressed, and popular. Trent? No, Gwen would murder Kristina. Geoff? Well, he was much too loyal to Bridgette… Maybe it was DJ?

"Actually, I sort of ran into him at the mall," Kristina said, smiling mischievously. "I think he's really cute. You wouldn't believe how much he looks like Ashton Kutcher."

"What's his name?" Courtney asked, curious. An odd suspicion was rising in her chest. She knew a certain delinquent who resembled the movie star. But it couldn't be him. It just couldn't! Someone as classy as Kristina would never go for someone as vulgar as Duncan. Right?

"Well," Kristina shrugged, "I'm not sure what his name is. I forgot. But," she took out her sleek Venus, "I have his number in here."

"You forgot his name?" Courtney asked, eyebrows raised.

Kristina made a face. "Well, this was like, last week. I just know he goes here."

All the time, it didn't occur to Courtney even once that she was actually having a conversation with Kristina, the girl she disliked so heartily in the beginning. Of course, Courtney didn't love Kristina any more than usual. But all in all, it was still a real tête-à-tête.

They were quiet for a moment, watching the janitor haul trashcans into their positions, whistling an unfamiliar tune that carried across the quad.

"It's all so weird," Kristina said at last, pulling her knees up onto the bench. "I mean, having you as my step-sister."

Courtney didn't look at Kristina. "I know."

They were silent once more; the awkwardness hung in the air like a solid wall.

Courtney broke the silence, much to her surprise. "You want to tell me why you transferred from a private school to a public one?"

Kristina didn't look up at Courtney. She shrugged noncommittally, her expression unreadable.

"I don't know," she said quietly, tracing the leather straps on her feet. "I guess… I guess the girls there just… I don't know." Kristina looked up at the morning sky. "I guess they just didn't really like me."

Courtney gazed at Kristina, wonder on her face. Was there a dark past in Kristina's life?

Students started appearing at the quad; it slowly filled up with the dull hum of conversation. Then the bell rang, signaling the start of first period.

"Well," Kristina said glumly, standing up. "I'll see you."

Courtney watched the beautiful girl pick up her bag, about to leave.

"Bye," the brunette said softly, feeling a strange sensation in her chest as she watched Kristina walk away, looking, for the first time ever, rather forlorn and lonely.

Was it pity that Courtney felt for Kristina? But if anything, pity was the last thing Kristina needed. Kristina was beautiful, rich, fashionable, apparently wildly popular with guys, and she was smart, from what Courtney could see on the awards that hung in Nancy's house.

She was supposed to be envious of Kristina.

But there was just something about the way Kristina spoke, the way she walked, the way she looked at that particular moment told Courtney otherwise.

Maybe Kristina wasn't all that perfect after all.

"_I'm tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep. That's deep enough. What do you want - an adorable pancreas?" -Jean Kerr, __The Snake Has All the Lines_

The moment Bridgette walked into class, she headed straight to Courtney, despite the fact that her assigned seat was halfway across the room.

"I couldn't call over the weekend; my mom was so angry at me for coming home drunk, she practically locked me in a cage for the rest of the day," the blonde whispered, sliding into the seat behind Courtney. "Heard you got really drunk and barfed all over Trent's lawn."

Courtney winced. "It was in a shrub, Bridgette."

"You okay, then?" Bridgette's olive-green eyes were filled with concern. "Nothing happened to you during the party, right?"

Courtney managed a smile. "Not if you count embarrassing myself in front of everyone."

Bridgette's face fell. "Aw, come on, Courtney. It isn't that bad. You should've seen Heather and Lindsay; they were practically stripping by the end of the party." The blonde frowned. "I think. I can't remember much after that drinking game Geoff made me play."

"Well, in all respect due," Courtney said loftily, "I'm never going to another party like that again."

Bridgette hugged Courtney from behind, her beachy scent enveloping the petite brunette. "I'm just glad you're all right. At least no major hangover, right?"

Courtney smiled. "Right."

"Bridgette," Mr. Devlin called from his desk, "Go back to your seat; class is about to start."

Bridgette tossed back her long golden ponytail. "All right, Mr. Robbie," she called to the young teacher, standing up. "Good thing he's cute, right?" she whispered to Courtney.

"It's Mr. Devlin to you," Mr. Devlin said back to the surfer girl, even though he had a wide smile on his face.

Courtney rolled her eyes. Bridgette always had a crush on Mr. Devlin; she wasn't the only one. Mr. Devlin was quite popular among high school girls.

Mr. Devlin got out of his recliner chair and headed towards Courtney.

Courtney tried to sink lower into her chair. Mr. Devlin was going to talk to her about Duncan, no doubt. Did he knew about the party? Did he hear about her getting drunk and barfing all over the place?

"Courtney," Mr. Devlin said, getting down on his knees and propping his arms on Courtney's desk. He was opposite the C.I.T, face level with hers.

"Yes?" Courtney timidly asked.

The thirty-two year old teacher smiled, "I heard from my nephew that you went to a party with him."

Courtney squirmed in her seat. "Maybe."

Mr. Devlin chuckled. "I won't tell the details, but I will say this. You got him good, Ms. Mann. Duncan hasn't been reported by the police for, well, quite a long time."

Courtney smiled proudly at that feat. "Well, thank you, Mr. Devlin. I did try really hard."

"Just keep on doing whatever you're doing, kiddo," Mr. Devlin said, touching knuckles with Courtney. "Cause it's working."

And out of the corner of her eye, Courtney saw Duncan saunter in, expression lazy.

Today, he wore a black, long-sleeve shirt with the words Stussy on it, and dark denim skinny jeans. He had on worn-out red Vans.

Courtney braced herself, ready for Duncan's barrage of comments and names like usual, but instead, quite the opposite thing happened.

"Hey," nodded Duncan at Courtney as he walked past her seat. His teal eyes were firmly on the ground.

Courtney blinked in confusion and turned around in her seat to look at Duncan. He was tossing his backpack onto the ground carelessly, until he tilted his head slightly and caught her staring at him.

"What?" Duncan asked. "Got something to tell me?"

Courtney narrowed her eyes. "No. I was just wondering what caused you to behave like a decent human being rather than an uncivilized gorilla today."

Duncan didn't give back his usual sharp retort; instead, he only shrugged, still refusing to meet Courtney's eyes head-on. "I dunno. Just not feeling up to it today, I guess."

And with that, he promptly sat down in his seat, taking out his iPod and jamming in his earphones.

Clearly, he wasn't in a mood for conversation, judging from his less than warm greeting to her.

Which suited Courtney perfectly. She could care less if Duncan wanted to talk to her. She successfully ignored the rather disappointed feeling that was bubbling in her chest.

So Duncan was actually getting off her back today. For some odd, unexplainable reason.

But why should she ask questions? As long as Duncan was off her case, it was all good.

Supposedly. Maybe.

Courtney sneaked another look over her shoulder.

Duncan's green and black head was slumped on the table. She couldn't even see his face.

Turning back around, the brunette wondered to herself what happened that made Duncan so, well, dead. Or at least, not up for a good poke at her.

"_Courtney Mann,"_ inner Courtney scolded, _"Who cares if Duncan isn't talking to you? Isn't that what you wanted? Now, you can study in peace and actually learn something! Seize the opportunity, take in all you can!"_

Another small, different voice spoke up: _"But what if I like having Duncan bother me? What if I think he's fun to be around?"_

"_Don't be stupid,"_ inner Courtney scoffed. _"Fun? Duncan? Watching paint dry would be more fun than talking to him."_

Yes. Absolutely. No doubt about that.

Courtney took out her binder, ready to take notes as Mr. Devlin went up to the board for his lecture.

The little voice was quiet, and then it said softly, in a defeated voice, _"You're right. There's nothing between Duncan and me."_

Courtney's grip on her pencil tightened. She was right. There was nothing. Of course there was nothing.

And that's what she wanted from him, right?

Nothing.

_  
__"Indifference is the strongest force in the universe. It makes everything it touches meaningless. Love and hate don't stand a chance against it." –Joan Vinge (Snow Queen)_

**Duncan:**

Duncan saw the brunette look sneakily over her shoulder at him.

Heart thumping uncomfortably in his chest, Duncan quickly turned away, hiding any part of Courtney that he could see.

He didn't know why. But he just couldn't stand to look at her. Every time he did, he got all bothered and nervous. And Duncan did not like being bothered and nervous. It just wasn't natural of him to be so.

_Well, dumbass, maybe it's because you just realized that you have certain feelings for her_, that pesky voice in his head chimed.

_So?_ Duncan reasoned, watching his uncle talk animatedly to the class. _I had feelings for lots of women. Like Marielle. And Joanna. And don't forget Tiffany. _

But none like this.

No girl ever made Duncan as nervous like this.

And it just wasn't freakin' right.

Duncan prided himself on being the king of cool, always calm, never flustered, when it came to girls, no matter how attracted he was to her.

So what made Princess different? It's not like she was prettier than any of the other girls Duncan had relationships with. If you could call what Duncan had with those girls a relationship at all.

But whatever it was, whenever he thought of Courtney, his chest tightened and his breath quickened and his damn hands just couldn't stop sweating.

Or, Duncan reasoned, maybe it's just indigestion.

"_I have a very strong feeling that the opposite of love is not hate- it's apathy. It's not giving a damn." –Leo Buscaglia_

By the time fifth period started, Duncan had successfully managed to avoid Courtney.

He never realized how many classes he had with her. Five in all, excepting fifth period math, of which Courtney was in Calculus A.P. Instead of having Math, Duncan had P.E.

He was glad, Duncan decided as he pulled off his shirt in the locker room, that Courtney didn't try to speak to him all day. He didn't think he could stand a conversation with her at the moment.

"Hey, Duncan, my main man," Cody, a short little shrimp of a guy said, coming up to his locker beside Duncan's.

Duncan nodded at the gap-toothed boy in greeting. "'Sup?"

"Heard that a new transfer student is in our class," Cody said slyly, running a hand through his hair. "I saw her, just as I was going to the locker room." The brunet whistled. "And she is a hottie!"

"Really?" Duncan asked, intrigued, as he pulled on his Air Jordan shorts.

"Uh, yeah?" Cody said, rolling his eyes. "I mean, if you saw her... God." He gave out a huge sigh. "She even gives Gwen a run for the money."

Duncan smiled slightly. "She's that good-looking, huh?"

Cody nodded, pulling off his polo shirt, revealing his scrawny body.

Duncan stuffed his backpack and clothing into his locker. "You know what her name is?"

"Kristina," Cody grinned. "I heard her talking to Coach Holloman."

Duncan blinked. "Kristina?"

That name rung a bell, but he couldn't place the person in his mind. Did he meet this chick somewhere?

"She in our class?" Duncan asked at last, closing his locker and resetting his combination on the locker.

Cody nodded, his eyes gleaming excitedly. "That's the best part. You know," the boy attempted to look suave, "I'm gonna put the full Codemeister charm on her. She won't know what hit her."

Duncan raised an eyebrow. "Right. Later, dude."

"See ya, man," Cody said cheerfully as Duncan walked away.

The delinquent tousled the back of his hair, pondering lazily.

He wondered who this Kristina person was.

"_Be such a man, and live such a life, that if every man were such as you, and every life a life like yours, this earth would be God's paradise." –Phillips Brooks_

**Courtney:**

She tapped her lead pencil on her desk impatiently, dainty feet swinging back and forth.

No matter how much she tried, she couldn't help but wonder.

What was he doing now? What was he thinking?

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Justin gazing at her. He hardly even seemed to be listening to their teacher's lecture. No wonder he needed help.

_Duncan needs a lot of help, too_, inner Courtney said.

No, Courtney told herself firmly. Stop thinking about him. No more.

"_Sometimes I wonder if men and women really suit each other. Perhaps they should live next door and just visit now and then." –Katharine Hepburn_

**Duncan:**

The moment he walked to the blacktop, where all of Holloman's class usually met, he saw her.

She was leaning against the metal fence, surrounded by a couple of guys, all of which looked smitten with her.

"So your name is Kristina?" one of them was saying.

Duncan blinked, angling his head to catch the girl's face between the many guys surrounding her.

And then he realized. It was _her._

That beautiful girl that he had bumped into at the mall.

Kristina turned her head slightly, her pale blue eyes widening at the sight of Duncan.

"Hey!" Kristina said cheerfully, "I didn't know you were in my class, too!"

Duncan quickly composed himself, grinned and tossed his chin her way. "'Sup, babe?"

Kristina edged her way out from between the guys and hurried towards him, her hair breezing through the wind. "I've been looking for you all day! I was going to call you at lunch, but I was so hoping I'd have a class with you!"

"You know her?" Sean, the tall African-American said, impressed. "Hella player status, homeboy."

"You know that's how I roll," Duncan replied, grinning back at Sean.

"We gon' leave you two alone now," Sean said, punching Duncan lightly on the shoulder as he walked by. His friends, Tang and Andrew followed behind, nudging at Duncan suggestively, making vulgar sounds. And then Duncan turned around to find himself completely alone with Kristina, who was looking at him expectantly.

"Well," Duncan asked, noticing that Kristina's eyes had a mother-of-pearl sheen when it was caught in the sun. How interesting. "How do you find this school?"

Kristina shrugged, "It's all right."

"You made any new friends?" Duncan asked, leaning against the fence lazily.

Kristina smiled at him, "Well, I have some people I know here. Like my brother, Justin. And Courtney. And then there's you."

"Wait," said Duncan, frowning slightly, "Did you say Courtney?"

Kristina nodded, raising an eyebrow. "Why, do you know her?"

"Know her?" Duncan said incredulously, chuckling at the question, "We're practically best buddies!"

A dark shadow passed over Kristina's visage, and suddenly, for a moment, she didn't look so beautiful anymore. More forbidding and threatening than a girl was allowed.

"Well," Duncan hastily added, before anything came back to bite him in the butt, "I mean,_ I_ see her as my best friend. She hates my guts. Sort of."

_Liar,_ that stupid voice in Duncan's head said. _You don't just see her as a best friend._

"But, uh," Duncan said, quickly changing the subject, "How do you know Courtney?"

Kristina seemed to hesitate for a moment, like as if deciding whether or not to say something. But the moment quickly passed, and Kristina gave a smooth shrug. "I know her from out of school. Our parents sort of know each other."

Duncan gazed at Kristina. He knew she was lying. But there really was no point in badgering the truth out of her. Not like as if it held any significance to Princess, anyway.

"And did you say Justin's your brother?" asked Duncan interestedly. He knew that there was some similarity to those two.

Kristina nodded.

"So where were you all the time while your brother went here?" Duncan queried, smiling amusedly down at Kristina.

"I was off in private school," Kristina replied sweetly, "Public school just wasn't my thing at the moment."

"Was it an all-girl's private school?" Duncan asked mischievously. "Bet you needed some guys in your life, huh?"

Kristina's sweet smile grew even wider, her dimples lighting up your face. "You could put it that way."

"You think I'm man enough for you?" Duncan asked flirtatiously, coming a bit closer to Kristina.

A strange feeling of guilt and discomfort washed over Duncan. He felt wrong flirting with Kristina, for some unexplainable reason.

But was it such a bad thing now? Having fun?

Mr. Holloman went up to the blacktop, blowing his whistle, signaling for the students to get into roll call.

"We should get going," Duncan said, walking towards his class.

As Kristina came up beside him, Duncan threw an arm across her shoulder.

"You know what, sunshine?" Duncan said jovially, looking down at the raven-haired girl. "I think we'll be good friends."

Kristina placed a gentle hand on his trim waist, beaming. "I think so, too."

_"Charm" - which means the power to effect work without employing brute force - is indispensable to women. Charm is a woman's strength just as strength is a man's charm." -Havelock Ellis_

**Courtney:**

"I'll be outside," Justin said to Courtney before he got out of the classroom.

"What's this?" Heather asked, that sly, cunning tone in her voice as she came up to Courtney's desk. "What are you doing with Justin, Courtney?"

Courtney cursed the fact that Heather sat right beside her in Calculus.

"I'm just helping Justin with homework, Heather," Courtney said, not meeting Heather's shrewd eyes. "It's nothing." She packed the rest of her paper into her Chanel bag.

"Right," Heather said, smiling slightly. Her eyes glinted as she leaned forward. "You know, I could help you spread the news. I mean, Justin is probably the hottest—"

"No, Heather," Courtney cut in hastily, "I don't need you to do that. We're just friends." Or family.

Heather rolled her eyes. "Oh my god, don't tell me it's Duncan."

"It's not that," Courtney insisted a little too quickly, standing up from her desk. Heather did the same, hoisting her oversized leather handbag over her shoulder. Her slim eyebrows were quirked suspiciously.

"I mean," Courtney corrected herself, steadying her voice, "It's not that. Really. It has nothing to do with Duncan."

_Right._

"Well, in any case, I think Justin's the better one for you," Heather said as the two walked out of the classroom together. "In any case, he's much more refined. Trust me, I would know."

Courtney looked at Heather, inwardly rolling her eyes.

Duncan _was _refined. To an extent.

Wait a moment. Was she actually _defending_ Duncan's honor? What a ridiculous thing to do; it wasn't like as if he even had any honor to defend, anyway.

"Ready to go, Courtney?" Justin asked as Courtney came out of the classroom.

"Yes," Courtney said, avoiding the many looks Heather's friends were giving her.

"Okay then, loves, tata," Heather said pretentiously, waving a delicate hand at Courtney and Justin before walking off with her entourage.

"She's quite a handful," Justin chuckled as they started walking in the opposite direction, towards the library.

Courtney nodded. "Weren't you guys together? Freshman year or something like that?"

"Oh, that," Justin said, grimacing slightly. "I don't envy the guy who gets with her next. You'd have to be a monster to deal with someone like Heather as a girlfriend."

Courtney smiled slightly, recalling how Heather had helped her pick out an outfit for the party. "She's all right. I mean, she's helpful sometime."

Justin raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure we're talking about the same person?"

"I dunno," Courtney shrugged noncommittally, "She's always been decent to me."

"Decent," Justin repeated, his blue eyes bemused. "That's interesting."

"Isn't it?"

"_Start every day with a smile and get it over with." -W.C. Fields_

**Duncan:**

Duncan looked up as he saw Kristina coming towards him.

"Sorry, you waited long?" she asked, pushing back her silky hair as the two began walking.

Duncan shook his head. "Nah. I just came here, too."

"So where are we going?" Kristina asked, looping an arm through Duncan's.

Duncan looked down at Kristina's hand, tucked neatly in the crook of his arm and raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything in objection.

"I guess I should show you to the library first, in case you ever need anything," Duncan said, smiling slightly. "It's not far from here."

"The library? Do you go there often?" Kristina asked, looking up at Duncan.

"Me?" Duncan chuckled. "Hell, no. What would I do in a library?"

Kristina laughed her tinkly laugh. "You must be a straight-A student, Duncan."

"Damn straight, darling." He steered her to the right turn of the school. "Library's over here."

"Hi, Duncan!" a couple of giggling girls said to the delinquent as he passed by. Some of them looked at Kristina and waved.

"Girls," Duncan nodded to his classmates, flashing them his wolfish grin.

The girls giggled even harder, their faces turning bright red at his expression.

Women. They were putty in his hands.

"You seem to be pretty popular with the girls, Duncan," Kristina noted, sounding impressed.

Duncan smiled down at Kristina. "I could say the same for you. Bet I'm not the only guy showing you around school, huh?"

"No," said Kristina, her tone teasing, "You're special. Only you're showing me around."

Duncan puffed out his chest pompously. "Babe, I'm flattered."

"You should be," Kristina said teasingly. A sudden strong wind blew, ripping Kristina's thin cardigan. "It's cold," she complained, tightening her loose grip on Duncan's arm.

"Hey, don't worry," Duncan started, his tone playful, "You got me to keep you wa---"

He froze, mouth open as his eyes caught something ahead.

"What?" Kristina asked, tilting her head up to look at Duncan. "Is something wrong?"

Duncan didn't answer.

Up ahead at a distance, Duncan saw Princess walking with Justin into the library.

"_It was as though something large and scaly erupted into life in his stomach, clawing at his insides: Hot blood seemed to flood his brain, so that all thought was extinguished." –J.K Rowling (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)_

"What the hell?" Duncan said in disbelief, his hand slowly tightening into a tight fist. "She's with _him?"_

A feeling of jealousy and anger began to bubble in the pit of his stomach. Duncan narrowed his eyes as he attempted to observe them closer. Courtney was talking a lot; her mouth was constantly moving. She never talked that much when she was with Duncan himself.

And what made him even more annoyed was the fact that she seemed to be enjoying her conversation with Justin, that stupid pretty boy.

Frustration and displeasure prickled up and down his arms.

He didn't know why it was bothering him so much. Princess was entitled to talk to people. Just not guys. Who looked as good as Justin.

"Oh, look," Kristina said, her voice hushed as she finally noticed her brother and Courtney, "It's Courtney and Justin! I wonder what they're doing in the library together."

"Justin's your brother, right?" Duncan asked, trying to sound casual as his piercing eyes watched Courtney and Justin enter the library. A particularly uncomfortable feeling stung him when he saw Justin holding the door open for Courtney. "A guy like that, he's gotta have a girlfriend, right?"

"No," Kristina replied, shaking her head. "He's single."

"Are you freakin' serious?" Duncan muttered, tugging Kristina along into the library. If Justin was single, then it was a huge red flag, that much he knew. _Huge._ "C'mon, we're going in."

"What? Why?" Kristina asked, stumbling after in Duncan's wake. "I don't need anything from there."

"Well, I do," Duncan said shortly, "I forgot that I have to get this… book for my homework. Or whatever."

Duncan paused before opening the library's wooden doors. He turned around to Kristina, pressing a finger to his lips. "Let's be quiet, okay?"

"I know, it's a library, Duncan," Kristina said, looking offended.

"No, I meant," Duncan rolled his eyes, losing all his previous charming endearments, "that we shouldn't talk to Justin or Courtney. Don't say hi to them or anything."

"Why?" Kristina asked, her iridescent blue eyes narrowing.

Duncan tapped his foot impatiently, his eyes roving the school for an excuse.

Damn it. He couldn't see another excuse that would explain why they shouldn't say hello to Justin and Courtney.

"I want," Duncan swallowed, trying particularly hard to spit out those disgusting words, "I want Courtney and Justin to be alone." He forced on a smile. "We shouldn't bother those two, right?"

Kristina made a face. "I guess…" she said slowly. "Except you should know that---"

"Hold that thought, babe," Duncan said, opening the library door inconspicuously. "Remember: don't talk to Justin or Courtney.

I'll do the talking later, Duncan said, gritting his teeth together.

He peeked inside, the clean, bookish scent of the library greeting him. He saw Courtney and Justin seated at a secluded corner in the table of the library.

Courtney had her back to him, so he couldn't see what she looked like.

Justin was seated next to Courtney, indecently close, he noticed. The two's heads were practically touching.

Son of a bitch, Duncan thought viciously.

"Are you coming in or not?" the old librarian hissed, noticing the slightly opened door with Duncan's head poking through. "You're letting the cold in!"

"Yeah, yeah," Duncan whispered back, annoyed. "Keep your pants on."

"Excuse me?" the spinster gasped as Duncan slipped into the library, Kristina following behind, her hand gripped onto the back of his backpack.

"Shhh," Duncan reprimanded to the elderly woman, "It's a library, ma'am." He turned back to Kristina, whispering one last time for good measure, "Remember. Not a word."

"I know!" Kristina whispered back, rolling her eyes.

He hurried past the appalled librarian before she could reply. Duncan's eyes were practically glued on Justin and Courtney; the beast inside him growled as he saw Justin look at Courtney, his eyes full of adoration.

Who the hell gave Pretty Boy here the right to look at Princess like that? Duncan certainly didn't.

_And since when did anyone give you any rights to Courtney?_ Oh, great. That stupid sarcastic voice was coming up again.

"Duncan, that was so rude," Kristina whispered, though her chastising voice did not manage to veil the amusement.

"That's how I roll, sweetie," Duncan murmured absentmindedly, pulling Kristina into the aisle of books next to Courtney's table.

They were safe behind this huge shelf of books; there, Duncan could safely spy on Courtney and Justin and remain hidden from view.

He could already catch a tiny glimpse of Courtney's table from a nook above the books.

"What are we doing in here?" Kristina asked, attempting to look at what Duncan was straining to see.

"Nothing," Duncan said curtly, turning around. "Hey, babe, why don't you help me?"

"With what?" Kristina asked, looking taken aback.

"Help me find a book, okay?" Duncan said, smiling with all the charm he could muster.

With someone as insanely good-looking as Kristina, it didn't really have much of an effect. But it worked.

Kristina rolled her eyes and gave Duncan a slight smile. "All right. What book do you need?"

"Well," Duncan steered Kristina to the opposite side of the aisle, "Can you find a book in here called, uh---"

Duncan quickly looked up at the highest row of books, searching for a novel that would take Kristina forever to find. He smiled slightly as he saw a tiny book cramped between two huge volumes.

The title read Animal Farm.

Duncan smiled back down at Kristina. "Okay, beautiful, can you find me a book called Animal Farm? It's here somewhere. And, uh, you look over here, alright?" Duncan pushed her to the opposite aisles of books. "And I'll be over here. If you find it, you tell me, okay?"

Ha. As if she will ever be able to find that tiny little paperback.

"All right," Kristina sighed, sounding a little disappointed.

"I'm sorry," Duncan said over his shoulder. "Tomorrow, I'll show you around some more. Deal?"

Sure, he felt slightly guilty for tossing Kristina aside like that, but there was a much bigger conflict at hand here.

Kristina paused. "Well, you'll also have to treat me to lunch after school."

Duncan nodded. "Sure, whatever you like, dollface."

He turned back to his row of books and started pushing apart the novels, searching for a crack in which he could successfully spy on Courtney and Justin without getting caught.

After a few minutes of searching for a suitable spot, Duncan settled between The Three Musketeers and Wuthering Heights.

Between the reasonably-sized slit, he could see Courtney, leaning over the thick textbook, locks of hair tumbling over her shoulders.

She looked beautiful today. He felt like as if he hadn't seen in forever. Of course, it was partly because he had successfully ignored her for most of the day. He didn't even allow himself a proper glance at Courtney. He didn't want to risk that.

Duncan leaned against the surface of the shelf, satisfying himself with just staring at her, his eyes greedily drinking in whatever he could. It was odd. Courtney was like a different person when she wasn't around him. He wouldn't mind hanging out with peaceful and gentle Courtney once in a while. Of course, fiery Courtney was a lot hotter.

Duncan quickly attempted to snap out of his reverie.

_Dumbass, you're not here to stare,_ Duncan told himself. _What the hell are those two talking about?_

He strained his sharp ears, attempting to take in whatever scrap of conversation he could.

"So, you have to square _e_ five times; you press this into the calculator, see?" Courtney was saying, showing her graphing calculator to Justin. "And then you just do basic math from there." She scribbled on the notebook paper. "See?"

"I see," Justin said, though his eyes were hardly on the calculator, Duncan noticed.

"Why don't you do number forty-three? Then we can check the back of the book and see if you're right," Courtney said, offering her pencil to Justin.

Damn. Duncan would've liked to be able to use Courtney's pencil. Or sit that close to her and not get hurt physically.

Justin bent over his paper; Courtney leaned closer, too, her head at an angle to see Justin's work. Duncan's stomach gave a sharp twinge.

_Idiot, stop leaning over like that!_ Duncan hissed in his mind. _You're giving off the wrong signs!_

Justin was probably taking in Courtney's sweet-smelling perfume now. Duncan yearned to be able to catch that scent that was so irresistibly Courtney-like. He hadn't had a whiff of that peachy, pure aroma in such a long time.

"That's right, you're doing great," Courtney said cheerfully. "Now all you have left is to square it."

_Don't talk like that,_ Duncan thought, his knuckles turning white as he clutched the leather cover of the books. _Don't sound so happy, or he'll think you like him!_

"_What if she does like him?" _a timid voice spoke up in the back of Duncan's mind. Duncan ferociously pushed that thought to the back of his mind. It couldn't possibly be true.

"Let me get the calculator," Justin murmured, reaching across Courtney to get her calculator.

Duncan's blood boiled, sizzling underneath his skin. That damn bastard's sneaky hand just practically brushed against Courtney's chest!

He had a savage desire to jump out from behind his spot and ram Justin's pretty face over and over until he was so hideous, girls barfed just looking at him.

Duncan was halfway up and ready to do it, too, until he realized that doing that would land him in juvie again. Disfiguring a person's face wasn't too good on your criminal record.

"Sorry," Justin said, smiling slightly at Courtney.

"It's fine," she said a bit breathlessly, face flushed a pale pink.

_Princess!_ Duncan inwardly howled. He thought she was smart enough to withstand a pretty face! Duncan slapped his hand to his forehead and shook his head, emitting a tiny groan.

"Duncan, is something wrong?" Kristina asked from behind him, noticing his sudden movement..

"No," Duncan said a bit too quickly, turning around. "It's all good."

"You're awfully red," Kristina commented, turning back to her row of books.

"It's hot in here," the delinquent muttered, tugging at his t-shirt angrily.

Maybe spying on Courtney and Justin wasn't such a good idea. If this continued, he might just do something rash. Like rip Justin from limb to limb and feed him to the sharks.

"So what do you do after this?" Justin asked softly, pointing at an equation.

Courtney smiled slightly. "That's kind of tricky. You see, you can't really do simple algebra; you have to revert back to Chapter 9, remember that?" She flipped back a few pages. "Just memorize that formula and you'll be good for the test."

_He doesn't need help for the test_, Duncan thought, peering at the couple from above the books.

Justin leaned on the table, his head tilted so that he faced Courtney. "How do you know all this stuff?"

"I don't know," Courtney said, looking flattered. "It comes naturally to me."

_Does being stupid come naturally to you, too?_ Duncan thought sarcastically, disgusted with Courtney for letting herself fall into Justin's trap so easily.

"Well, the bell's going to ring soon," Duncan heard Courtney say. "We should start cleaning up."

"Can you help me again tomorrow?" Justin said, his voice low.

Duncan held his breath, leaning closer to the crack. Help again tomorrow? Surely she wouldn't want to do that, would she?

"Sure," Courtney said after a pause. "I think I'm free."

Damn it! Damn it, damn it, _damn it_.

Duncan shoved his eye as close to the opening slit as possible. He could see Courtney and Justin standing up; Justin's back was facing him. He could see Courtney; she was standing in front of Justin, packing things into her bag.

"You helped me a lot today," Justin said, his voice quiet.

Courtney flashed Justin a smile. "It was nothing."

Duncan frowned as he saw Justin come a little bit closer.

What the hell was that guy doing?

"Do you think you're free this Saturday?" Justin asked, leaning his hand against the table. "I have tickets to this concert. We could go after you go shopping for your dress."

Dress? What dress was he talking about?

Courtney looked taken aback. "Oh, well, I'll have to check if I'm free or not. But I think I'll be able to. Well, um… Thank you, Justin."

Duncan clenched his fists. He couldn't see what expression Justin had on his plastic Ken face, but he was sure whatever it was, it was every man's game face.

Justin lowered his head slightly, so that he was level with Courtney. "Consider it a gift," he said, so softly that Duncan could hardly even hear him.

Then he was coming closer, and Duncan's heart began to race. He knew. This was it. Justin was coming in for a kiss, and Courtney didn't even seem to know it. She was staring back at Justin, those unknowing green eyes wide and innocent.

He couldn't let that happen, he just couldn't.

Regardless of the consequences, he couldn't let Courtney be taken like that.

Justin just signed his own death papers. Because nobody, and he meant _nobody,_ takes Duncan Mariano's woman.

"_Your woman?" _that irritating voice scoffed. _"Since when was Courtney Mann your woman?"_

"_The moment I met her,"_ Duncan snarled to his inner self, refusing to let his common sense deter him, _"She was already mine from the start."_

And he wasn't going to let some sleaze with a pretty face steal her away.

"_Jealousy is the dragon in paradise; the hell of heaven; and the most bitter of the emotions because it is associated with the sweetest." -A.R. Orage_

**A/N: Duncan's getting a bit possessive, isn't he? Next chapter will most likely have more of Duncan's POV, since he's the one most bothered and angered by this sudden Justin and Courtney friendship. I know, I know, there was so much JustinxCourtney and DuncanxKristina in the beginning of this one, you guys just wanted to BARF. But the ending should have showed you guys the right pairing, right? Don't worry, my devoted readers, in the end, it's just all purely DxC. Haha, it was soo fun writing about Duncan's jealousy. That's why I love love triangles. There's always jealousy, and doesn't that kind of stuff just make you want to squeal? xD Makes you all warm inside. **

**And, guys, I want to remind you all to just calm down and breathe the fresh air. Do not think even for a moment that YDYD will end up with anything OTHER than Duncan and Courtney. I've been getting notes from people, saying, "Is this still Duncan and Courtney?" "You know it's DxC, not JxC, right?" **

**Uh, yeah? Didn't you read the summary? It clearly said DxC. So, peoples, come on, please. Don't freak out and hate on this story simply because there's slight JxC or DxK. I just want you guys to trust me, and realize that in the end, this story is merely about Duncan and Courtney. Entirely, honestly, and sincerely Duncan and Courtney love. Nothing more. **

**Sooo, READ AND REVIEW, everyone! READ and REVIEW! READ and REVIEW! REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! **

**By the way, did I manage to make Kristina seem a little less perfect now?**

**P.S: You guys might think there's some Duncan and Kristina action going on in this story, but you guys should know from Duncan's character that he's naturally a very flirtatious person and is liable to flirt with any good-looking woman. You saw him work it in TDI. But do you hear him thinking about Kristina the way he thinks about Courtney? Nope. So there we go. Case closed. It's all one-sided love in Duncan's case. Poor Kristina. **

**(this was such a long Author's Note, but I had a lot of stuff to say about this chapter. K, bye.)**


	17. Jealousy Rears Its Ugly Head

**Chapter 17: Jealousy Rears Its Ugly Head**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Total Drama Island and its characters, though I wish I did.**

"_The ear of jealous heareth all things." – the Bible(Apocrypha), Wisdom of Solomon 1:10_

Duncan angrily shoved at the books, mustering up all his jealousy and anger. He imagined every single one of those encyclopedia-like volumes to smash Justin in the face, one by one. Smash all of the bones in his face until he was hideous like the slimeball he really was.

The heavy books clattered onto the floor with a magnificent crash, causing Justin to whip around, blue eyes wide in shock. Courtney looked just as startled as Justin, if not even more; her lips were open into a perfect O of surprise.

Duncan glowered at the two from behind the shelf, not even bothering to look innocent; he didn't care if Courtney saw him. He was too pissed off to even give a shit.

"Oops," Duncan sneered, targeting Justin with all the hatred he could. It was almost like as if lasers were about to blast out from behind those narrowed teal eyes. "Did I do that?"

"Duncan!" Courtney gasped, finally noticing the green-haired young man. Duncan refused to acknowledge her and pointedly looked away.

"You did this?" Justin asked, picking up a thick encyclopedia and grinning slightly at Duncan. "Clumsy much?"

"Oh, you know me," Duncan said maliciously, "Always dropping things." Or killing them, Duncan added in an afterthought as he had a particularly pleasant thought of dropping Justin off a cliff and into shark-infested waters.

"Duncan, you okay?" Kristina asked, coming up beside the delinquent.

"Yeah, babe," Duncan said a little breathlessly, his eyes focused on the two people in front of him, "I'm fine. Fine as a_ freakin' daisy."_

"Kristina," Justin said in surprise at seeing his little sister from behind the aisle. "I didn't know you were in here."

"I was helping Duncan find a book," Kristina said a little too carelessly. Her blue-gray eyes landed on the speechless brunette. "Hello, Courtney." She smiled sweetly.

"Kristina," Courtney said in a tight voice. She sounded like her teeth were gritted.

Courtney was probably pissed off at him, but Duncan couldn't really care less at the moment. Right now, he was too preoccupied by the close proximity that Courtney and Justin were in. They were standing awfully close together for just a couple of friends.

"What happened, Duncan?" Kristina whispered, leaning down next to Duncan and reaching for a book that tipped over. "How did all these books fall?"

"I accidentally leaned against the shelf," Duncan lied, keeping his eye on Justin. "The books just started falling."

Kristina laughed. "You are rather a klutz, aren't you?"

Duncan was so busy glaring at Justin that he failed to notice the way Courtney's face soured when she saw the way he and Kristina spoke with one another. If he did, he would have been gleeful at the fact that Courtney looked extremely jealous. Green with envy, one could say. But since everyone else was so distracted by one another, no one really noticed anything.

The tension between the four of them was thick and heavy; awkwardness hung in the air like a veil. It seemed that everyone was glaring at one another.

Brisk footsteps were heard coming down the aisle; Duncan immediately knew it was that librarian, though the other three didn't seem to notice.

He wasn't very much surprised when he heard that familiar, spinster-like voice gasp, "I cannot _believe_ you children!" Justin, Kristina and Courtney all started in surprise at the woman's sharp tone, whirling around to face her elderly fury. "Behaving like hooligans in a library! Have you no respect for anything? This is supposed to be a quiet, studious environment!"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Ackerman," Courtney peeped, along with the murmured apologies of Justin and Kristina.

Duncan merely rolled his eyes. This woman seriously needed to get a life.

The librarian's eyes roved over the many fallen books on the floor, her eyes widening in shock.

"What is this?" the librarian demanded, coming up to the group. "This is outrageous! Books thrown on the floor like this; simply appalling! Who is responsible for this?"

"Me," Duncan said carelessly, waving from behind the shelf.

"_You again!_" the librarian snarled, her eyes piercing from behind her spectacles.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm sorry," Duncan said, rolling his eyes. "I'll clean it up. It was an accident."

The librarian pinched her lips together. "See to it that you do. Or else, you'll have to answer to _me_," she said in an ominous tone before stalking off.

"Ooh, I'm so scared," Duncan said sarcastically, waggling his hands in mock fright.

He saw Courtney's mouth open almost automatically in what he knew was supposed to be a reprimand. The bell then rang, and Courtney's mouth clamped shut, her eye steely.

Students began to file out of the library, ready to head to their next period. Duncan felt like as if he was jolted out of a reverie, coming back to terms with his everyday life.

"Duncan, are you coming?" Kristina asked, grabbing for her bag.

"You go on ahead," Duncan said over his shoulder to the raven-haired beauty. "I'll be a better tour guide tomorrow, I promise."

"Okay," Kristina said, running her hands across Duncan's shoulders lightly before walking away. "And don't forget, you're treating me to lunch tomorrow."

"That's right," Duncan said, nodding his head. "I'm not forgetting."

Duncan turned back in time to catch Courtney saying to the tanned swimmer, "You don't have to wait for me; you'll be late. And I need to talk to Duncan for a bit." Her green eyes caught Duncan's. A feeling of foreboding prickled up Duncan's spine. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Justin nodded and headed towards Kristina, who was waiting for him by the entrance of the library.

Duncan watched Justin walk away, satisfied with a job well done. Until, of course, he turned back and saw Courtney glaring at him, her eyes burning.

Duncan managed a smile. "Now don't tell me you're all in a huff about this."

"I cannot_ believe _you," Courtney hissed, bending down and picking up books. She shoved them onto the shelf with unnecessary force. Duncan just knew she was dying to ram them into his face, and was secretly glad that there was a shelf dividing them two. "You were spying on me, weren't you?"

"What makes you think I was spying on you?" Duncan said defensively, angling his head to catch a sight of Courtney as she pushed more books onto the bookshelf. "Maybe I come here to learn."

Courtney gave a very disbelieving scoff that made even Duncan feel slightly ashamed of his behavior. Just slightly.

"Oh, _puh-lease_," the brunette snapped, taking another book and placing it on the shelf, "Don't tell me you were just _conveniently_ hanging around in the library, right where Justin and I were."

"What were you doing with him, anyway?" demanded Duncan, itching to get straight to the point.

Courtney ignored him and reached behind her for a stray book.

Duncan, testing his boundaries, delicately took out a finger and pushed a book off its shelf. It fell to the floor with a thump.

Courtney turned around slowly, her eyes flinty.

Duncan stepped back slightly in alarm at her expression. Damn, she looked like she really wanted to kill him. Like just chop him up into tiny pieces and feed him to the dogs.

"Stop acting so childish," Courtney snarled in a low voice, snatching up the fallen book. "Or you _will_ regret it." She thrust a thick volume onto the mahogany ledge so hard that it bashed quite hard into Duncan's nose.

"_Damn it_, Courtney!" Duncan yelped, his hands flying to his face. "What the hell?"

Duncan's eyes watered as his fingers tenderly rubbed the wounded cartilage. Damn, that hurt.

"Oh, sorry," Courtney said in a tone of mock-apology, "Clumsy old me."

The delinquent rolled his eyes impatiently as Courtney placed the rest of the books on the shelf (he made sure to stay at least half a foot away this time), and soon, she had completely obscured his vision. Now, he was left staring at the leather spines of Don Quixote and The Secret Garden.

"_Princess_," Duncan sang, knowing fully well that she could hear him.

There was no reply.

So she was ignoring him now, wasn't she?

Duncan hauled himself up. It didn't matter. Either way, he was going to force the truth out of her.

"Hey," said Duncan, walking around the aisle where the C.I.T was. "Are you gonna tell me what you were doing with Justin or not?"

"I don't see why I have to," Courtney said nastily, tugging her oversized bag over her shoulder. "It's none of your business."

"Why isn't it my business?" asked Duncan, getting angrier by the second.

He knew he was being rash, that it really wasn't any of his business. But being him in his state of mind at the moment, everything made sense. He had a right to know. He _had_ to know.

"I can't believe I'm even having this conversation with you!" Courtney said in utter disbelief. She still refused to turn around and look at him.

"What were you doing with him?" Duncan persisted, refusing to let Courtney's words deter him.

"Then why don't you tell me what _you_ were doing with Kristina?" Courtney shot back over her shoulder as she walked past Duncan.

"That's a different story," Duncan retorted, following after Courtney. "I was being _nice._ I was showing her around! She's new here!"

"Oh, sure," Courtney said, laughing scornfully, "You must have shown her_ quite_ a lot, Duncan."

Duncan quickened his pace after Courtney, furious at her success in turning the conversation around. "Yeah, well, at least I'm not going to any stupid concert with her this weekend, unlike _someone else_ I know."

"No, you're just going to go out with her for lunch," Courtney hissed back, sounding absolutely irate now. "Are you taking her somewhere you think is high-class, Duncan? McDonald's? Oh, don't tell me, _Burger King_?"

"Don't change the subject with me,_ Princess_," Duncan snarled, "I've got a lot more to say about you and Pretty Boy. Justin doesn't want to just be friends. I saw the way he---"

"I was helping him with his homework, alright?" Courtney said angrily, swinging the door behind her in hopes that it would smack Duncan in the face. "So leave me alone, already!"

But he was too quick for her; grabbing the door before it could hit him, Duncan neatly slid past it and followed after Courtney, hot on her trails.

"Oh, yeah, right," Duncan said spitefully. "There was _a lot_ of helping going on there."

Courtney whirled around, her eyes blazing. Duncan hastily stepped back a pace or two, taken aback by her sudden ferocity. Students walking past the couple eyed them curiously, wondering what the fight was about.

"_What_ is your problem, Duncan?" the brunette asked fiercely, "Why are you suddenly so interested in whoever I talk to now? If I recall correctly, you wouldn't even look at me this morning!"

"That---that's," Duncan stammered, suddenly caught off-guard. She noticed the way he acted this morning? She actually cared?

"Hm, cat got your tongue now?" Courtney asked, her eyes narrowed. "I should've guessed that much."

"You know how I am in the morning," Duncan said defensively, "I was tired! And that's completely beside the point!" he continued, firing up again, "I'm saying that Justin--he--- that guy was _totally _flirting with you, he doesn't just want help on Calculus---"

"He_ did_ want help in Calculus!" Courtney said heatedly. "So stop making it seem like it was something else!" She turned around and walked briskly away from Duncan, heading towards her class.

"Hey!" Duncan yelled, stomping after the brunette, "Hey, don't walk away from me! I got a lot more to say to you!"

Duncan ignored the way that passing classmates ogled at them; he knew they must have looked quite a sight, some rich girl practically running away from a delinquent who was shouting at the top of his lungs.

What a mad looking pair they must have been.

In the corner of his eyes, he saw DJ and Geoff stare at him and Courtney, mouth agape.

But he could care less what they thought of him. Right now, all he really cared about was tearing apart whatever Courtney and Justin had together.

"I said, I'm not done with you!" Duncan started to shout, before Courtney cut in, saying in a carefully controlled voice, (she must have seen the many stares they were accumulating) "I told you, there's nothing between Justin and me!"

Duncan growled, the savage beast in him stirring once more, ready to bite and tear, "Oh, yeah? Well, it certainly didn't look like _nothing_ when Justin was coming in for that kiss!'

"Look at you, making accusations again!" Courtney exclaimed, her voice shrill. "There _was no kiss!_"

Duncan tilted his head to catch sight of Courtney's face, but she hastily averted her head. The brunette's pace was much quicker now. It was almost like as if she didn't want him to see her.

Anger coursed through the dark-haired teen when he saw that the brunette's complexion had flushed a bright red. So she was red now, huh?

Duncan bristled. The fact that she was blushing at all made him even angrier. It showed that she knew _something_ was happening between her and Justin.

Dying to piss Courtney off, Duncan gave his most derisive laugh. "Any_ idiot_ would've known that he wanted to kiss you! Only_ you _wouldn't know, since you're so _naïve_ when it comes to stuff like this!"

Courtney's shoulders stiffened, but she still pushed on, refusing to turn around and look Duncan in the eye. "And I suppose you gave the fight of your life when Kristina came onto you, too?" she asked tightly.

"I'll have you know," Duncan replied, irritated, "that we did nothing like that! Kristina and I were just talking!_ Sometimes_," his voice dripped with sarcasm, "things that you assume could _possibly _be wrong."

"Oh, hark who's talking!" Courtney cried, sounding quite deranged now as she turned on her heels and glared at Duncan, green eyes fiery. Her face was red, not flushed with embarrassment, but anger now. "_You're_ the one assuming that I'm doing things with Justin!"

"Oh, ho ho!" Duncan exclaimed, his eyes bugging out almost in a manic sort of way, "_Assuming?_ There is no _assuming_ in this, honey, I saw, _I saw _with my own two eyes what was going on! The brush against the chest, the concert, the "almost kiss", everything!"

"The brush against the _what_?" Courtney asked in disbelief, stopping in front of their classroom. "What on earth are you talking about? I didn't feel any brush against my---"

"Oh, don't act like as if you don't know," Duncan scoffed, crossing his arms. "I saw it, babe, don't deny it."

Courtney narrowed her eyes.

The two were quiet for a moment, glaring at one another in what seemed to be a staring contest.

_We can do this all day, Princess,_ Duncan thought, his eyes starting to prickle at the edges. But he was not going to blink. He was not going to admit defeat until Princess herself recognized her faults. He wouldn't mind a long, lengthy apology, either.

At long last, Courtney blinked, but slowly and deliberately, as if to prove to Duncan that she did not lose by fault. Duncan raised an eyebrow.

"I think you should know that whatever happens between Justin and me, Duncan," Courtney said coldly, her emerald eyes flashing dangerously, "is none of your concern."

Duncan stared at Courtney. She was being uncharacteristically icy and distant now. Even though she acted like she hated his guts before all this, there was always something between them that was like a warmth of familiarity. Now, all he felt from her was cold, frosty dislike.

What could he have done that made Courtney so mad?

It couldn't be because he dropped the books on Justin and her; he did things that were much worse before.

Could it be because of the way he ignored her this morning? But since when did she start caring about the way he treated her?

It must be something more than that, Duncan just knew.

"What's wrong, Courtney?" Duncan asked finally, putting aside his jealousy and frustration.

Courtney started to walk away from the tall young man. "Nothing."

"Would you stop being so damn stubborn and just tell me?" Duncan asked exasperatedly, grabbing at Courtney's wrist.

Courtney yanked her hand out of Duncan's grasp, and repeated, her tone firm, "It's nothing. Forget it. I'm going to class. You should, too; the bell's going to ring soon."

She opened the classroom door and disappeared into it, leaving Duncan to stand out there by himself, slowly hating himself more and more for what he's done.

"_We read that we ought to forgive our enemies; but we do not read that we ought to forgive our friends." –Francis Bacon_

**Courtney:**

She slammed her bag onto the desk with more force than necessary.

She was furious. Angrier than she had ever been in her life.

And for the first time in her life, she had no idea why.

Courtney closed her eyes and winced as she remembered Kristina's bright, smiling face as she talked with Duncan. The image of those two together, so close and familiar, kept on swimming in front of her eyes.

And that just made her even angrier.

"_I don't know why we are here, but I'm pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves." –Ludwig Wittgenstein_

**Duncan:**

He knew he couldn't come into that classroom, not when Courtney was in there, too.

So he left.

"_Nothing fixes a thing so intensely in the memory as the wish to forget it." –Michel de Montaigne  
_

**Courtney:**

The brunette's chest heaved up and down as she attempted to control her heart rate.

That oaf, that Neanderthal, that unrefined… bastard! How dare he try to go in and control her like that? It was unacceptable!

Courtney gnashed on her lips vehemently, not realizing that she was going to turn them into a bloody pulp soon.

And _him_, going around accusing her of things when _he_ was the one with Kristina dangling off his arms!

That sick feeling bubbled in Courtney's stomach. She felt affronted, insulted, even slightly cheated by the fact that Duncan was the person Kristina was talking about this morning.

Why, why, _why _did it have to be her? Why did it have to be Kristina?

A feeling of pure dislike oozed out of Courtney, targeted directly at her step-sister. The reason of her sudden intense feelings couldn't be explained; all Courtney knew was that she was feeling them.

She didn't know what she was angrier about: the fact that Duncan had intervened into her social life or that Kristina had somehow gotten into his.

Courtney sat down into her desk, resting her forehead onto her slim hands. She took a deep breath in and out, just like they taught in training.

Why was she so bothered by the fact that Kristina was going around with Duncan, anyway?

Maybe it was because that it was Kristina herself. To Courtney, it felt like nothing could belong to her and only her anymore. Kristina was slowly usurping everything that used to belong to Courtney exclusively.

"_But since when did Duncan belong to me?"_ Courtney thought to herself a little worriedly.

Don't be ridiculous, Courtney told herself. It's nothing to do with Duncan. Nothing.

She was merely upset by the fact that Kristina had weaseled her way into her and Duncan's relationship. Yes, that was right. Simple enough.

Courtney slapped a hand to her forehead, her mind spinning.

Oh my god, _what was she saying_? Even her 'reasoning' thoughts didn't make any sense any more!

She clamped a hand to the side of her head as if to stop the thoughts from projecting themselves to her.

Relationship? What relationship? There was never a relationship between her and Duncan! Kristina was fully entitled to talk to him, do whatever she wanted with him! Courtney had no business with whom Duncan associated himself with.

So why was she getting angrier and angrier at the thought of Kristina even being alone with Duncan? Why did the very idea of Duncan and Kristina being together make her insides seem to squirm and burn in repulse and resentment?

The C.I.T let out a low moan as the bell rang.

She was going crazy. She just knew it. Her anger wasn't letting her think straight.

Courtney secretively cast her eyes to Duncan's seat, which was across the room from her desk. He always liked to make silly faces at her when the teacher's back was turned. It had been a long time since Duncan's last barrage of tease and insults. A hollow feeling came up Courtney's stomach; it felt terribly like a part of her was missing.

The brunette sat up straighter, her eyes wide in surprise as she saw the empty seat.

Duncan wasn't there.

"_She has the answer to everything and the solution to nothing." –Oscar Levant_

**Duncan:**

Duncan didn't know why he was upset right now. He was going through a crazy wave of emotions: jealousy, anger, frustration, and now regret. Maybe he shouldn't have said all those things to Courtney if her hating him would be the outcome.

He just couldn't go back into his classroom and face her again. Not after the way she looked at him before. A shriveled up feeling welled up in the pit of Duncan's stomach. He wasn't actually feeling ashamed of himself, was he? Well. Maybe a_ little _bit.

Duncan frowned at his reflection in a puddle pooled on the cement ground. Maybe he shouldn't have acted so jealous and childish. That would have made Courtney take him more seriously.

But that was the problem.

Duncan _was _jealous. Extremely so. It never occurred to him that he might have a rival. Ever. Now that he thought about it, he doubted that he ever even had one when it came to women.

Duncan looked up from the ground and was startled when he realized that he had come to his uncle's classroom. He had walked there subconsciously. As unlikely as it was, Uncle Robbie was the person Duncan always came to when he had problems.

The young man looked into his uncle's classroom, hoping to see the familiar fatherly figure.

Uncle Robbie always got sixth period off; surely he would understand and let Duncan crash there for the rest of the school day.

Sure enough, there was Uncle Robbie, sitting by his PC, music playing from the speakers. Duncan recognized the song as Hotel California, by The Eagles. Uncle Robbie always did have good taste in music.

The twenty-eight year old looked up from his computer, eyes widening in surprise when he realized that it was his nephew.

"Duncan, aren't you supposed to be in class, man?" Uncle Robbie asked, standing up from his office chair.

"Uncle, can I just chill here for the rest of the period?" Duncan asked wearily, flopping himself down into the beanbag behind Uncle Robbie's desk. "I'm beat."

Uncle Robbie's face softened. "Duncan, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me, man. I know you."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do."

"Then what's my favorite color?"

"Kumquats."

Duncan frowned at Uncle Robbie, who was grinning slightly at his nephew's expression. "I'm not in the mood, man. So can I stay here or not?"

Uncle Robbie leaned contemplatively into his seat, fixing his glasses. "I know what's wrong with you."

Duncan propped his legs on the edges of Uncle Robbie's chair. "What?"

He turned his head towards Duncan and gave a knowing smile. "It's a girl, isn't it?"

Duncan gave a snort. "Ha! This isn't a girl we're talking about, man. Ain't even close to being ladylike." He bitterly remembered the actions and words Courtney threw at him in the height of their argument.

"What the hell could Courtney have done to you?" Uncle Robbie asked, turning back to his computer as an email popped up. "She's a great kid."

"When did I say it was Courtney?" Duncan complained. Damn, his uncle did know him too well.

"What other girl can it be?" Uncle Robbie replied. "I mean, Courtney is about the only girl that can get you so ticked off like that."

Duncan's face softened. "Well. You gotta love her." He paused. "To a certain degree." The teenager held his head in his hands and said, his voice muffled, "This girl's making me go crazy, Uncle. I can't stand it."

Duncan was not used to being so flustered over a girl; _he_ was usually the one doing the honors.

"Hey." Uncle Robbie said it in a tone that implied he wanted Duncan to listen to him seriously.

"_What?"_

Uncle Robbie rummaged through his mini-fridge by his desk and gave Duncan a can of root beer. He popped off the lid, watching the frosty air furl out of the opening.

"Listen to me, man. Girls… well, they are what they are. They're girls. And to be frankly honest with you, sometimes, they can be just as aggravating as us men."

Duncan gazed at his uncle, wondering if there could be any words of wisdom in the upcoming speech.

"And?" the delinquent pressed.

"Sometimes, _you_ gotta be the one to open their eyes," Uncle Robbie said. "I know Courtney; she might be pretty clever in a lot of stuff." His eyes twinkled. "But not everything."

Duncan mulled over his uncle's words and said slowly, wondering if he had understood everything completely, "So what you're saying is…"

Uncle Robbie placed a hand on Duncan's shoulder in a sign of manly affection and looked the teen right in the eyes. "Be a man, Duncan. And let her know."

Duncan stared at the young teacher; he didn't know if Uncle Robbie was joking or not. The man's expression was unreadable.

"Anyway," Uncle Robbie said suddenly, sitting up straight and rubbing his hands together, "Since you're gonna stay here for the rest of the school day, let's do something worthwhile."

"You're letting me stay?" Duncan asked incredulously. "I thought you wouldn't for sure because of all-"

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Dunk," Uncle Robbie said breezily, heading up to the whiteboard and pulling aside one of the boards. He reached up to the top shelf and pulled off two D.S's. "And besides; you're pretty much late anyway, so why bother, right?"

"What is this?" Duncan asked suspiciously as Uncle Robbie tossed him a pink D.S. He eyed the girlish color of the device distastefully.

"I always keep two handy in case things ever get boring during class," Uncle Robbie said, shrugging as he turned on his black one. He looked at Duncan, a grin coming onto his face. "You ready to go against me in Super Mario Brothers?"

Duncan lifted a sardonic eyebrow. "Aren't I always?"

"You're too quick to talk, son," shot back his uncle, sitting opposite his nephew.

Duncan flipped open the DS and turned on the power. "Bring it, man."

Uncle Robbie started connecting his game with Duncan's, chuckling. "Oh, I am_ bringing _it."

Duncan leaned against his beanbag. "Just one question, Uncle."

"What?"

"Why pink?"

Uncle Robbie laughed. "Why _not _pink?"

"_We must laugh at a man to avoid crying for him." –Napoleon Bonaparte_

**Courtney:**

"Mr. Neiman?" Courtney asked, walking up to her teacher's desk.

"Yes, Ms. Mann?" Mr. Neiman asked without looking up from his computer.

"Do you think I can go home? I don't feel so good," Courtney said, trying to keep the shiver out of her voice.

Mr. Neiman turned and looked at her. "Oh, well, that's not good, is it? You don't look too well, either, right. Okay." He pulled open a drawer and took out a pink sheaf of PASS papers, and tore one off.

Scribbling on the little note, Mr. Neiman asked, sounding concerned, "Do you think you're sick with the flu? You look very red. Let's hope you don't have the swine flu, right?" He smiled slightly as he gave her the pass to the nurse's office.

"I hope not," Courtney said, trying to smile back as she accepted the slip of paper. "I don't know; I'm just not feeling well. I'm sorry, Mr. Neiman."

"It's okay; go home, get some rest, I hope to see you tomorrow," Mr. Neiman said, ushering Courtney out of his classroom. She grabbed her bag as she walked past her desk.

"Thank you," Courtney called over her shoulder as she walked out of the classroom, waving idly over her shoulder to the good-byes her friends were calling out.

She wished someone could've gone with her. Mostly Gwen or Bridgette. But seeing as none of them were in the classroom, it was really quite futile.

It wasn't the flu or anything of the sort that she had.

Courtney suspected she was coming down with something more emotional than that. Something that had to do with a stupid boy named Duncan.

Why _did_ he have to go and make her so angry?

She was so pissed off, she made herself sick. How often did that kind of stuff happen, anyway?

Courtney took out her cellphone and called her brother.

She waited a few moments. Her brother then picked up. "Hello?" His low tenor comforted Courtney inexpressibly.

"James, can you pick me up from school?" His college classes must be over by now.

"Why? You okay?" James asked immediately, concern seeping into his voice.

Courtney ran a pale hand through her hair. "I don't feel so good. Things just aren't going my way today."

"Be right there. Wait for me in the front of the school," James ordered. "I'm still in my dorm; it'll take about fifteen minutes, all right?"

"Okay," Courtney said quietly. "Come quickly, okay? I don't think I can take this much longer." She looked around her surroundings. There was a little lurch in her stomach when she realized she was standing by the tree where she first met Duncan, the Duncan who smoked and sneered and pushed her away with blunt coldness.

A shiver ran up Courtney's spine.

Just being in the same place as Duncan right now just wasn't doing her any good. Everywhere she looked, there was his imprint, there was his memory; he seemed to haunt every corner of the school.

Courtney hadn't realized how much Duncan had become a part of this place, had become a part of her.

"_Today I begin to understand what love must be, if it exists. When we are parted, we each feel the lack of the other half of ourselves. We are incomplete like a book in two volumes of which the first has been lost. That is what I imagine love to be: incompleteness in absence." –Edmond de Goncourt_

**Duncan:**

Ever since he got his license back legally for his motorcycle, Duncan couldn't help but ride it to school every day. Besides. Girls loved it when he rode his motorcycle to school, and he didn't blame them.

His Harley-Davidson motorcycle, Vendetta, was, bluntly put, one sick ride. His baby was painted a glossy black that gleamed in the sun, and it had a luminous silver sigma of a skull on the front. Also, Vendetta's rubber tires were unusually large for a motorcycle, so that in a way, it almost resembled a dirt bike, except a lot sleeker.

People always wondered why Duncan called his motorcycle Vendetta, seeing as it meant revenge or grudge or whatever. But Duncan just liked the sound of the word. He thought it was sexy.

Courtney hadn't seen his motorcycle yet, Duncan thought vaguely, wondering for a moment if she would have liked to ride it. But then he remembered that they were angry with each other.

Fueled by that memory, Duncan felt even more obliged to ride his bike with neck-breaking speed today.

Not only was Vendetta his most prized possession, but she was also an escape for him. The wind blowing at 90 miles per hour through his body, rippling his clothing, the thrill of the ride, the danger of it all, just heightened Duncan's sense and feel. And he needed to use something as an outlet for his frustration and all.

Or that was what his previous school counselor had told him anyway. Not like as if that guy had anything worth listening to anyway.

Duncan jammed his helmet over his head, flipped down the visor, and pulled on his biker gloves.

He saw the familiar gang of girls watching him from afar, giggling and staring, but it didn't please him as usual. Usually, he would be pleased at this, and occasionally even wave at them for show. But today, he was too pissed off about what happened at lunch to even care at this point.

He wasn't sure what his anger was directed at: Courtney or Justin. Maybe it was Justin. Or maybe it was Courtney. Probably both.

Revving his handlebars, Duncan reared back and zoomed out of school campus, reveling in the wind that blew through him.

But not even his favorite pastime could help him forget his irritation. It was like a fly, just buzzing incessantly around his head, and he just couldn't keep it in his gaze long enough to smack it down.

He couldn't just let this Justin thing continue, could he? 'Course not. Some course of matters had to take place. Duncan just didn't know what.

_They're meeting up again at lunch tomorrow_, that doleful voice in Duncan's head said.

Oh, yeah. Justin was apparently too stupid to do math on his own. Or maybe he was just using that 'helping' thing as an excuse. What a sleaze.

Duncan dutifully stopped at the red light, even though he could've easily just ridden past it. There were no cars around, and more importantly, no coppers.

Nowadays, he had to abide by the law. Or else, it was back to juvie. Duncan shuddered. No more of that, thank you.

And besides. Staying in school had its positive effects. Kind of. More or less, he wanted to stay in school so he could hang out with Courtney, if not anything.

But there wasn't going to be a lot of 'hanging out' for a while, Duncan thought bitterly, not after that huge fight that just erupted between them.

But it didn't matter, the fight. That wasn't what was bothering him. What was bothering him was the fact that another guy was actually going after Courtney. And that interfered with Duncan's life, and he didn't like having things interfering his life. Especially tall, good-looking swimmers. Named Justin, specifically.

Duncan tightened his jaw. Well. Tomorrow, he would have to distract Courtney somehow and keep her away from Justin.

There was also that little concert date thing on the weekend. He'd take care of that later. But first, he had to prevent the two from meeting at all.

Duncan veered into his neighborhood.

He couldn't do this alone, either. He would need help.

The delinquent drove up onto the driveway and parked his motorcycle, feeling the hum of his ride slowly die. Duncan took off his helmet and whipped out his cellphone, dialing Geoff's number.

"Duncan! 'Sup, man?" Geoff answered jovially after a few rings.

"Hey," said Duncan, a small smirk climbing onto his lips, "You want to help a fellow out tomorrow?"

"Sure, bra."

Duncan hopped off his bike and leaned against it, feeling the cool metal through the thin fabric of his shirt. "You and Courtney; you guys got Calculus together for fifth, right?"

As odd as it sounded, Geoff was quite brilliant. He ranked in intelligence somewhere along the levels of Princess and Noah. Talk about weird.

"Yeah, dude. She rocks in Calculus, man," Geoff said cheerfully. "But why you askin'?"

"Let's just say I want you to keep Courtney preoccupied after fifth," Duncan said cryptically.

"Uh…what?"

He could just see the blonde's confused look.

"I want you to keep Justin away from her," Duncan bit out. "Distract her, drag her away, whatever. Do _whatever_ it takes. But don't let that pretty boy come near her."

It bothered Duncan that he couldn't go distract Courtney himself. Duncan knew diverting methods that few people knew, and he was not satisfied with letting someone else do the job. But Duncan had P.E for fifth, and Courtney had Calculus, so their classes were halfway across campus. By the time Duncan would arrive at Courtney's classroom (a good five minute walk from the boys' lockers), she would be long gone with Justin.

"So just to make sure I got this right," Geoff said slowly, "You want me to distract Courtney tomorrow. Keep her away from Justin."

"Right."

"And what am I supposed to do with her once I get her away from Justin?"

"Do whatever you always do during lunch!" Duncan said, exasperated. "Just keep Courtney on a leash. She might bite. You could say she's a little… well, _bent_ on helping Justin."

"And what do you want me to do with _him_?"

"You leave Justin to me," Duncan said sleekly. "In fact, if you could just ask someone to tell Justin that Courtney is waiting for him in the library, that would be great."

It would certainly make it easier for Duncan, in any case.

Geoff chuckled. "Don't worry, Duncan, I'll make sure you get the girl in the end."

"Actually, this time, I want the boy," Duncan said, his voice laced with danger.

"Who? Justin?" Geoff sound surprise.

"Yes, Justin. I, ah, require a _talk _with him. Make sure he understands me crystal clear on the subject of Courtney's _availability_, you know?"

The only person that got the hint Duncan had feelings for Courtney was Geoff. Though Duncan never really told Geoff straight up, the understanding between the two men was mutual. He was almost like a best friend now, once Duncan thought about it. Right after Kristian, of course.

Geoff laughed. "Duncan, my man, you are a force to be reckoned with, bro."

Yes, he was.

"_As a wicked man, I am a complete failure. Why, there are lots of people who say I have never really done anything wrong in the whole course of my life. Of course, they only say it behind my back." –Oscar Wilde_

**A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long, people! Hope you guys know that I'm still alive and well, thank you very much. It's just… Finals are coming up, and teachers are just cramming all they can on us students. I've been super busy the last few weeks, and I hadn't had time to revise and refine this chapter yet, until now. So, what do you think of this chapter? Courtney's coming to terms for her feelings at last! And I wonder what Duncan's plans for the annihilation of Justin is? Should there be some fighting and fists going on here? Well, tune in and find out in Chapter 18…. SO, Read and Review, everyone! READ AND REVIEW! I want it in by the handful!**

**By the by, Duncan finding out the 'family' relationship between Justin and Courtney **_**might **_**come up in the very, very, **_**very**_** near future. But that's only an if(: **

**Added note: To those readers who told me that my story is the first story they check when they log on, I just wanna tell you… *sniffles* You gave me such a warm feeling in my tummy. Thank you! Group hug, group hug, guys! I'm going to try and update faster just for you! Don't give up on me! **


	18. Sunny Rain and a Thunderstorm

**Chapter 18: Sunny Rain and a Thunderstorm**

**Disclaimer: Well, you guys should know by now. I don't own TDI.**

"_That's not serious. It's just human." –Jerry Kopke_

**Courtney:**

"First day back at school and you're already sick?" James said the moment Courtney opened the passenger door.

"Don't start with me, James," Courtney said wearily. "I'm tired."

"Hey, be glad I gave up my swim meet for you," James said, looking over his shoulder as he backed out of the school. "What happened in school today that's got you?"

"Duncan," Courtney spat out. "That son of a---"

"Whoa," James hastily cut in before Courtney could finish the sentence. "Angry much?"

Courtney crossed her arms and blew out a breath. "Very."

"What did he do to you?" James asked, his expression suddenly stern. "Did he try anything?"

Courtney rolled her eyes. "No. It was something else." Her expression darkened. "We got in a fight."

"Lover's tiff?" James quipped.

Courtney shot her older brother a glare.

"You wanna tell me about it?" James asked, smiling slightly down at his little sister.

"He was just being a jerk," Courtney said stiffly. "I'd really rather not talk about it right now. Maybe later."

She turned towards the window, watching the streets go by.

"All right," James said, nodding understandingly. Courtney always needed to cool off before she could talk about her problems.

They drove in silence for a while, until James felt his stomach growl.

He hadn't eaten anything all day; he had skipped lunch to pick up Courtney.

"Hey."

Courtney didn't look away from the window. "Hm?"

"You hungry much?"

Courtney shrugged. "A little."

"Great. Let's go to Red Lobster, all right?" James said cheerfully, making a turn. "You like that?"

Her brother looked sideways at her, an expectant smile on his lips. He knew what would make Courtney feel better.

The brunette looked down at her lap, her fingers playing with the faint designs on her bag. She nodded, slowly smiling. "Yeah. I'd like that."

"_The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be." –Marcel Pagnol_

**Duncan:**

He stared at his ceiling, watching the way the sunlight from the window played shadows along the surface.

He was sulking, he knew that. And Duncan hated the fact that he was sulking. Men didn't sulk.

But that was exactly what he was doing.

Since Duncan came home, he had locked himself in his room, and, surprisingly, wasn't listening to loud rock music to calm his nerves. In fact, he was just lying there on the bed. In absolute silence, excepting the outside sounds of the wind and cars passing by from the window.

He was home alone, too. His mom and dad didn't get home till around night. Uncle Robbie had gone out with his friends for the rest of the day.

But Duncan didn't mind that. He sorta kinda liked being alone at the moment. At least no one would see him sulk.

Duncan's cell phone started to ring.

He leaned over to his bedside table and picked up the sleek device, checking the Caller ID. It read Kristian Delacruz. A wide smile grew on Duncan's face. Though he was never one to really talk man-to-man on a phone with anyone, Kristian was the one person he could ever just really _talk _with.

It was weird for him, yes, but hey. They were best friends. And best friends did everything together.

Duncan pressed TALK. "Delacruz!" he exclaimed jovially.

He had developed a habit of calling Kristian by his last name, almost as a sort of endearment, a nickname.

"Duncan!" His friend sounded distant on the phone, but achingly familiar.

"What's up, man?" Duncan said, lightening up considerably now. "You're coming over this week, right?"

"Yeah. Just wanted to call you to check up on that," Kristian said lightly. "You got a room for me?"

Duncan smiled. "'Course. You think I'm gonna let you sleep with the dog?"

"I wouldn't mind. Spike's cute."

He had forgotten how much he missed hanging out with Kristian. Quiet, soft-spoken, scholarly Kristian.

Almost Duncan's polar opposite.

"How's life been, Duncan?" Kristian asked quietly. "You've been staying out of juvie like you promised?"

"My slate's been cleaned off," Duncan said proudly. "Not one run-in with the cops. Even my dad says I've been on good behavior lately."

"You done me proud, Duncan." There was a pause and a sigh. "Man, I hate it here in New Jersey. It's nothing like New York. The people there are nothing like back in Manhattan."

"Funny these two states are so close to each other, huh?" Duncan commented, sitting up and leaning against the headboard.

"Seriously. But the people at my school are all right. I met a girl."

Duncan's lips twisted into a wry smile. "Girl? Already?"

Duncan wondered if Kristian had found himself a new best friend, also.

"Her name's Jamie. She's great. I think you'll love her, Duncan," Kristian said earnestly. "When you come over here, I'll have you meet her."

"Sure. Uh, well, what's this chick like?"

"Well," a wistful sound came into Kristian's tone. "She's… she's something else. I don't know how to describe her. She's witty, funny, smart, beautiful… I feel dizzy when I'm around her."

Duncan found himself automatically thinking of Courtney. "I know how that feels."

"But how about you?" Kristian asked. "Is your new school doing all right? Heard it's a pretty strict place."

"Tell me about it," Duncan sighed. "That place is white-collar, man. Nothing like our old school, remember?"

"Well, what about the people there?" Kristian asked dubiously. "Are they like that, too?"

Duncan smiled to himself, thinking of Courtney and Geoff and Trent and DJ, and everyone else at Independence. "Well, they're all pretty cool people. I made some new friends. And I met a---"

"A sweet girl?" Kristian quipped.

"Wouldn't call her that exactly," Duncan chuckled. "But she's a handful."

"You sound serious about her, Duncan," Kristian said after a pause. "Is she special?"

Duncan stared at the wall opposite him. "I… I guess. In a way." He shrugged. "Yeah. I think she is."

"What's her name?"

"Courtney. Courtney Mann."

"Well, why don't you ask her out? Are you?"

"No!" Duncan said a little too hastily. "Of course not. She--- well, she hates me."

There was a silence on the other end of the line. "Ouch."

"You're telling me," Duncan sighed. "And we're fighting right now, too."

"Over what?"

"It's a long story, man."

"I like long stories."

"I'm sure you do," Duncan said dryly.

"You can tell me the story when I come over this weekend, then," Kristian said dispassionately. "But tell me. What is this Courtney like?"

Duncan frowned, ticking off in his mind all the traits of Courtney.

Fiery. Sexy. Independent. Smart. Clever. Fun. Beautiful.

"Well, she's got a little bit of everything," Duncan said in a matter-of-fact tone. "You can't really describe her. But, well… she's pretty uptight. Kinda like you."

A lot like Kristian, once Duncan thought about. Courtney and Kristian might get along with each other well if they met.

"I am _not _uptight."

Extremely well, actually.

"Says you," Duncan shot back.

"Dude, I told you, I got strict parents," Kristian said crossly, though there was amusement in his tone. "And besides, this Courtney girl sounds interesting. Tell me more about her."

"I'm telling you, she's a lot like you." Duncan grinned. "She's a goody-goody two-shoes, totally bad-tempered, a straight-A student, and she doesn't know how to have fun."

"Is that an insult towards me?"

"And she's pretty dense, like you."

"I take it that it is an insult."

"And, she's so hot. You should see her; she wears designer brand names like it's nothing," Duncan said, now on the verge of showing off. "She's filthy rich; I seen her house. And her laugh; goddamn, you've never heard a girl laugh like Courtney."

"This sounds serious," Kristian said. "I never heard you fawn over a girl like this."

"I like her, Kristian," Duncan said suddenly. "So much. It's the craziest thing ever."

"This _is_ serious."

"Kristian, stop joking around," Duncan snapped.

"I'm not even," Kristian said defensively. "So Duncan, tell me, what is it about Courtney that makes you feel so strongly about her?"

"I don't 'feel so strongly' about her," Duncan said waspishly. "I hate it when you talk like that."

"It's not my fault my mom's a psychologist," Kristian protested. "But I'm asking an honest question."

"Well, she's---" Duncan paused, searching for the right words. "Well, she's different from the other girls."

"Even Jackie?"

"Definitely Jackie," Duncan confirmed.

"And you thought she was the one for you, too," Kristian commented vaguely. "But this sounds different."

"Courtney is different," Duncan corrected.

"So what are you waiting for?" Kristian asked incredulously. "If you like her so much, why don't you just ask her out?"

"It's not that easy, buddy," Duncan answered, rolling his eyes. "You can't just waltz up to a girl and ask her out."

"Excuse me, but that's what I see you do all the time."

"That's totally different," Duncan said, exasperated. "Those girls, I was just playing around with them. I don't care if they say yes or no. But Courtney, it's not like that. This time, I _do_ care. A lot."

"Ah."

"You see my point?"

"Well, then, what kind of guy does Courtney like? Make yourself become that guy," Kristian advised. "Then she might like you."

"She likes those scholarly, smart, preppy guys," Duncan said, disgusted. An image of Justin popped up, making the delinquent gag. "Like those Abercrombie & Fitch models."

"_Ah_."

"I thought I told you no more of those psychological sounds, man! It's getting on my nerves!" Duncan ran a hand through his hair. Sometimes, when Duncan talked with Kristian, he felt like as if he was talking to a shrink.

"Sorry."

Duncan propped his head on his hand. "This is getting out of hand, dude. I don't know what to do."

"This is so weird," Kristian said, sounding baffled. "I've never seen—well, heard—you so flustered over a girl. I really want to meet Courtney now."

"I told you; Courtney's different for me."

Kristian was quiet as he thought up a good advice. Having grown up with a professional, high-earning psychologist for a mother, Kristian had been gifted with the inane talent of understanding the human brain and emotions. So he always had ideas up his sleeve.

"You told me she likes the preppy, scholarly type?" Kristian asked after a moment.

"Yeah."

"Well, maybe you should try and change some parts of yourself," Kristian said helpfully.

"Change?"

"I'm not saying like you should undergo a total transformation," said Kristian. "But just change_ some_ parts of yourself that would appeal to Courtney more. Maybe your grades, your hair… It depends. But I don't know her at all; it's up to you to decide what to do."

Duncan turned to look at the mirror that hung by his drawers.

Maybe those piercings should go, he surmised, staring at the studs in his lips and eyebrows and nose. And his green hair _was _getting faded. He might as well just let it go back to its natural color.

"Duncan?"

"Hm?"

"Well? What do you think?"

Duncan touched the top of his head. "I'm thinking you're completely right."

"I am?" He sounded surprise.

"Yup. Next time you see me, I'll be a changed man."

"Uh, let's not be too hasty here," Kristian said quickly. "I don't mean you should be a 'changed man' or anything, I like you the way you are---"

Duncan chuckled. "Don't worry. I got this."

"Last time you said that, we ended up doing community service for a month," Kristian said wryly.

"Yes, but this time, I really got this," Duncan said. "I do."

He could just hear the smile in Kristian's voice. "Yeah. I know."

"By the way," Duncan said conversationally, "would you like to hear this awesome plan that I'm pulling off tomorrow?"

"I'm not sure; do I?"

"_It is as absurd to say that a man can't love one woman all the time as it is to say that a violinist needs several violins to play the same piece of music." –Honore de Balzac_

**Courtney:**

Courtney had lately taken to watching soap operas. There was something about them that made her so melodramatic. And, right now, she needed something to take her mind off of Duncan.

But even now, watching dramas did nothing to ease Courtney's mind.

And she did all her homework, which usually helped her relieve her brain. But that didn't help either.

Courtney turned off the TV and traipsed upstairs where her brother was in his room, typing out an essay for his psychology class.

She shouldn't bother him. This essay was important for his final grade.

But still, she found herself peeking around the corner of his doorway.

"James?" Courtney asked.

"Hm?" He didn't look up from his laptop.

"You busy?"

"'Course I am."

"Well," Courtney went into James's bedroom with preamble and climbed on top of his bed, suddenly remembering days back when she was little, "Can I talk to you?"

James blinked in surprise. "Uh, sure. What about?" He turned around in his swivel chair.

"Duncan," the brunette said bluntly.

James's eyebrows raised slightly. "Ah."

"What do you mean, 'ah'?"

"'Ah' as in, 'Ah, I'm not surprised," James said, rolling his eyes. "What did Duncan do this time?"

"I was tutoring Justin on Calculus, and he was spying on me," Courtney said, her hands clutched in her lap. "Spying! Do you know how utterly ridiculous that is?"

James looked surprised for a moment. "Since when did you start talking to Justin?"

"Since he asked me for help on Math," Courtney said dispassionately. "But that's not the problem. The problem is that Duncan was spying on me!"

"So? That just shows he likes you. Shouldn't you be, well, flattered?"

Courtney's face flushed a deep red. "But that's not--- that's not why I'm angry!'

James blinked. "But, uh, isn't that why we're talking about Duncan?"

"No! Duncan, he… he…" Courtney looked at a loss for words. "Well… he was with Kristina."

James sat up straighter. "Kristina? Nancy's Kristina?"

"What other Kristina do we know?" she responded irritably.

"How does Duncan know Kristina?" James mused, rubbing his chin.

"And he dare tells me off for hanging out with Justin when he so blatantly flirts about with his 'doll-face'," Courtney said scathingly, firing up.

James leaned back in his chair, regarding Courtney with his sharp eyes.

"And you should hear all those assumptions he made about me," Courtney rambled on, not to be deterred now, "I mean, the way he spoke about me, like as if I was actually going out with Justin! And then _he _goes about gallivanting with--- What?" Courtney looked at James. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Courtney," James said slowly, "Don't tell me that you're jealous?"

"_Jealous?_" Courtney cried in disbelief. "Of what?"

"Of Duncan talking with Kristina," James said shrewdly.

Courtney blinked several times. "_What?_"

"Tell the truth. You're sick and tired of Kristina always weaseling her way into everything that used to belong to just you," said James, a knowing gleam in his eyes.

"I am not mad because Kristina is friends with Duncan," Courtney said, annoyed. "Stop being so ridiculous!"

The brunette swung her feet off of the bed and onto the floor. "Forget it. I'm going to go out for a walk."

James watched his sister stomp out of the bedroom, an amused smile on his lips. He knew he had struck a chord in Courtney. Of course, she might be mad at him for the next few hours, but this really was for the best.

Duncan wasn't gonna wait around forever. And James _knew_ Courtney had feelings for the boy.

Though Duncan wasn't really the ideal boyfriend in James's overprotective mind, James thought sourly.

"_Forgiveness is the answer to the child's dream of a miracle by which what is broken is made whole again, what is soiled made clean again." –Dag Hammarskjold_

**Duncan:**

Duncan propped his elbow on the dinner table, watching his mother peel an apple.

"Ma, I've been thinking," Duncan said, lazily stretching out his arm and resting his head in its crook.

"You do that?" Mrs. Mariano asked, placing a segment on the ceramic plate.

"_Mom_," Duncan whined, "I'm trying to tell you something."

"And I'm listening," Mrs. Mariano said lightly. "What did you want to say?"

"I know that you don't like my green hair," Duncan started.

"I hate it," Mrs. Mariano corrected. "It revolts me."

Duncan frowned. "It's not _that _bad."

"Yes, it is," Mrs. Mariano replied, "But what were you saying about it?"

"Well, Ma," Duncan brushed the top of his spikes, "You're right. I mean, my hair's getting kind of faded now."

"And?" She raised a slim eyebrow.

"And I think it's time I go back to my normal hair color," Duncan said, sounding exasperated. "There, you happy?"

Mrs. Mariano beamed. "I knew one day you would open your eyes to those atrocious spikes! We'll go the salon right now if you want!"

"Wait, not that fast," Duncan said hastily. "I need time."

He had green hair for almost a year now; departing with it almost felt like giving up a part of himself.

"Well, when were you planning on cutting it off, then?" Mrs. Mariano asked, wrinkling her nose.

"Next week," Duncan said confidently. "For sure then."

"All right," Mrs. Mariano said warily. "I'll call up Sophia for an appointment."

Duncan nodded. "That's great."

Mrs. Mariano handed Duncan a slice of apple, eyeing her son's green faux mohawk. "Tell me, Dunk… Why the sudden change? You used to love your green hair."

"I do," Duncan said honestly. "But I just decided that… I mean, sure I'm gonna miss my hair, but… well, maybe it's time for a new me. I can't always be like this forever."

Not if he wanted to look good in Courtney's eyes, anyway.

Mrs. Mariano smiled at Duncan, her green eyes gleaming in the light. "Don't tell me that it's Courtney. Are you trying to impress her?"

Duncan opened his mouth to protest, but then clamped it shut. Might as well be a man and admit it.

"Well, Ma," Duncan said, shrugging. "The girl's high-class." He flashed his pretty mother a smile. "Gotta lose the bad boy in me, you know?"

"Don't lose all of it," Mrs. Mariano said fondly, reaching out and ruffling Duncan's head. "I kind of like bad boy Duncan."

"Who doesn't?"

"So you're sure about getting rid of the green hair?" Mrs. Mariano asked. "I mean, once I get the appointment, you're not getting out."

"Sure," Duncan said. Then he grinned at mother. "Unless you want me to go purple?"

"No," Mrs. Mariano responded at once.

"Thought so."

"_You must understand the whole of life, not just one little part of it. That is why you must read, that is why you must look at the skies, that is why you must sing and dance, and write poems and suffer and understand, for all that is life." –Jiddu Krishnamurti_

Duncan determinedly ignored Courtney when he walked into class the next day. He completely avoided her gaze, which wasn't really necessary since she pointedly looked away when he came around.

Courtney still seemed to be mad at him and didn't look like she was going to let up any time soon.

But that was fine. All that mattered to Duncan now was Justin. He had to let that pretty boy know that Courtney was not single, she was not 'holler-able' and furthermore, she was already taken.

Duncan conveniently ignored the fact that Courtney never subjected to the idea of being his girlfriend. But those were just little details that could be tweaked.

Duncan's shoulders sagged a little as he stared at Princess's back; she didn't even seem to acknowledge his presence at all. He would have been happy with a tiny glance, or a change in expression. But there was none.

It did hurt to have Courtney ignore him like that.

And to be honest, he really, really, really didn't like it. At all.

"_One cannot too soon forget his errors and misdemeanors; for to dwell upon them is to add to the offense." –Henry David Thoreau_

Duncan had a lot on his mind as he changed in the locker room.

Though he was practically brimming with confidence, Duncan felt a little stumped when he thought over what he should say to Justin.

"_Back off, asshole, she's mine,"_ would have worked, but he didn't think saying that would make Justin take him seriously.

"_I'd like it a lot if you would stop coming on to Courtney,"_ was way too polite. Justin would take him for a sissy.

"_Courtney already has a boyfriend, so please leave her alone. By the way, you're an asshole with shit for brains."_ Now he liked the sound of that. There was a 'please'. And there was also an 'asshole'.

But it wouldn't work.

Duncan rolled his bare shoulders, pulling out his gym shirt.

Whatever. He would improvise along the way. A girly boy like Justin wouldn't stand a chance against a badass like Duncan.

Duncan smiled slightly to himself as a scenario rolled into his mind. After giving Justin the most awesome tell-off of the century, he would waltz up to Courtney, sing his apologies, and give her a bouquet of roses, and then she would leap into his arms, and they would have an awesome make-out session lasting about…

Duncan mused for a moment. Five hours and twenty minutes.

Yeah, that should be good enough.

Duncan tossed his jeans into his locker and pulled on the gym shorts.

Today was going to end well, he just knew it.

"_Believing in yourself is not for you; it's for every person who has touched your life in a significant way and for every person your life will touch the same way five minutes from now, or five centuries from now." –Jaye Miller_

Courtney couldn't concentrate as she blankly stared at the board.

Duncan, Duncan, that_ damn_ Duncan, kept on floating in front of her. The way his eyes were cold and steely when he walked into the classroom, the way he looked straight ahead when Courtney walked past him.

He had totally ignored her today; didn't even deem to look at her.

It bothered Courtney that Duncan might be angry with her. She was unused to that feeling. Well, her friends got mad at her sometimes; her mother, her father, her brother. But never Duncan. Never once did he express any feelings of annoyance or anger towards Courtney.

And to think that he might be doing so right now just scared her out of her wits.

She was not scared of Duncan, no. She knew, she just knew deep in her guts, that he would_ never_ hurt her.

But she was scared that he might not ever want to talk to her again, not after the things she said to him yesterday.

Courtney bit her lips.

It was awful hard, having to deal with a person like Duncan. He was so enigmatic.

For all it was worth, Courtney could not muster up the anger towards Duncan anymore. It had died. All she felt now was sullen remorse. She shouldn't have said all those things to him.

She shouldn't have said anything at all if she knew that he would be mad at her for doing so.

"_I think I'm going crazy now. At least it'll be one hell of a ride." -Anonymous_

**Duncan:**

The seven-minute bell rang, signaling for all the P.E students to go back to their lockers and change.

Duncan started to leave with the rest of his friends, when Kristina, walking the opposite direction towards the girls' locker room, yanked on his sleeve.

"Oh, wha---?" Duncan asked, startled out of his thoughts. He looked down at the raven-haired beauty. She looked beautiful today, with her silky hair tied up into high ponytail, and her face glowing with the exertion of exercise.

Kristina gazed at him with her clear sapphire eyes. "You are going to meet up with me at lunch, right?"

It didn't sound like a question, more like a command.

"Oh." He had forgotten about his little meeting with Kristina. Duncan shrugged apologetically. "I'm sorry, babe. I'm tied up at lunch today. I have to meet up with someone." _Your brother_, he added mentally.

"Oh." Kristina's rosy mouth shut tightly.

"But we're still up for lunch after school," Duncan said, smiling. "I could pick you up, take you to a nice restaurant if that's what you want."

He could borrow thirty bucks off of Uncle Robbie.

Kristina's features softened into a smile. "I suppose. You do know where my sixth period is, right?"

Duncan nodded. "I'll pick you up right after sixth. We can go anywhere you like."

"You have a car?" Kristina inquired, eyebrows quirked in curiosity.

"Babe, better than that," Duncan said, his smile growing wider. "I got a motorcycle."

"_A woman is an occasional pleasure but a cigar is always a smoke." –Groucho Marx_

**Courtney: **

When the bell rang, all the students stood up, packing away their items into their backpacks and bags.

Courtney was doing the same, neatly tucking her pencil case into the corner of her TokiDoki Lesportsac bag, when Geoff abruptly walked up to her. In the corner of her eye, she saw Justin walking out of the classroom, Noah trailing closely behind, his expression cynical.

Suddenly, Courtney got the feeling that something was going on.

She realized that the blonde surfer was still standing at her desk, looking rather guilty.

"Something you need, Geoff?" Courtney asked, her hands poised on her bag's golden clasp.

"Oh, uh," Geoff's eyes were huge. "Well, you know, I came over here to---"

Justin popped his head into the doorway, "Courtney, you coming?"

Suddenly, Geoff did a spastic twitch, bringing his knee up to the desk violently and knocking it completely over with a terrific crash. All of Courtney's items, her Versace eyeglass case, her pencils, pens, Burt's Bees lip balm, lotion, water, phone, sunglasses, and bag tumbled to the floor. (**A/N:** I am a HUGE fan of _Burt's Bees_ lip balm. It's like, the best. It's expensive, but worth every cent!)

"Geoff!" Courtney gasped, horrified at the mess. Her pencils had tumbled out of their unzipped pencil case; they were everywhere.

She was so distraught that she didn't see Noah tug Justin away, saying something was urgent, his mouth moving rapidly. She didn't see Justin walk away, his expression worried, and most importantly, she didn't see Geoff's triumphant smile, which was quickly wiped off when Courtney turned to him.

"What's wrong with you?" Courtney said angrily, her frustration letting loose her tongue.

"I sneezed," Geoff said blandly after a few seconds.

Courtney narrowed her eyes. "You need to see a doctor if you sneeze like that."

"Yeah, well," Geoff shrugged, smiling. "Here, let me help you, Courtney."

"Guys, what's all the noise about?" Mr. Johnson asked, coming back into his classroom, eyes wide. "I heard a huge crashing sound from outside."

"Oh, my desk just tipped over," Courtney said, tilting the wooden desk back upright. "It's nothing."

"Yeah, teach, we're just cleaning up," Geoff added.

Courtney tilted her head outside, where she thought Justin would be waiting for her. He wasn't there.

"Hey, where's Justin?" Courtney asked, standing up.

"He probably left; guys like him, they never wait anyway," Geoff said quickly, tugging Courtney back down. "Come on, let's clean up!"

Courtney picked up her black steel lead pencil and idly dropped it back into her pencil case.

"Let's hang out at lunch," Geoff said suddenly.

"I have things to do," Courtney replied, casting Geoff an odd look. "Maybe tomorrow."

"Oh, but you know," Geoff said, playing around with the brim of his cowboy hat. "I haven't talked to you in _such _a long time. You know? I thought we were supposed to be best buds?"

"Sure we are," Courtney said absentmindedly, placing her eyeglass case carefully into her bag so as to not damage the four-hundred and thirty dollar glasses inside. "But I promised I would tutor Justin."

"Well, he left!" Geoff said indignantly. "You wanna hang out with a guy like that?"

"Geoff, are you up to something?" Courtney asked, eyes narrowed.

Geoff blinked, his mouth open like a fish out of water, apparently speechless.

That's it. He _was_ planning something.

"I don't know what you're up to," Courtney said, pulling her bag over her shoulder, "But if it's something about Bridgette, you can call me later. I have to go." The brunette looked to the teacher, who was sitting at the computer, typing in an email. "Bye, Mr. Johnson."

Mr. Johnson nodded. "See you later, Courtney, Geoff."

Geoff tipped off his cowboy hat to the teacher and ran off after Courtney, who was already out into the quad.

"Hey, hey, Courtney!" Geoff said hastily, skidding to a stop in front of Courtney, blocking her way. "Uh, well, Justin told me to tell you that he'd be meeting you in front of the D-Villa."

Courtney blinked. "But he said we'd meet at the library." She didn't know where he was, exactly, but if anything, he would probably be there.

"Oh, well, Noah was talking to him, and Justin said he had to go somewhere quickly, and that he'd meet up with you in front of D."

Courtney stared at Geoff. "Why don't I believe you?" she asked, suspicion laced in her tone.

Geoff blinked. "Uh, because you're overly paranoid?"

"Wrong answer," Courtney said, pushing past the blonde.

Geoff quickly stepped into the way again. "Hey, hey, what's the rush? Justin can wait."

"Geoff, what is wrong with you?" Courtney asked, looking up at the tall young man in disbelief. "What do you want?"

"I want to hang out with you today," Geoff said, a bright smile on his lips.

"Well, I have things to do; tomorrow," Courtney said brusquely, dodging the blonde and walking away.

"No! Wait!" Geoff cried, running after Courtney. "Come on, Court', don't be like that!"

"_Women: Can't live with them, can't bury them in the backyard without the neighbors seeing." –Sean Williamson  
_

**Duncan:**

He whistled to himself as he walked to the library, feeling awfully happy.

Geoff had called him before fifth, saying that Justin would be in the library, waiting for Courtney.

Too bad he'd have to settle for Duncan instead.

Duncan saw his uncle in the backseat of those caddies that security guards drove around the school. Uncle Robbie and Mr. Pryor, the young English teacher next door.

"Hey, Uncle Robbie!" Duncan yelled.

Uncle Robbie's brown, spiked head turned. He waved at Duncan, grinning.

"Hey, can I borrow thirty bucks off of you?" Duncan called, rubbing his fingers together for the universal gesture of 'money'.

"_Thirty _bucks?" Uncle Robbie bellowed.

Duncan jogged a little to catch up to the caddy.

"Dude, what do you want thirty bucks for?" Uncle Robbie demanded when Duncan finally came up to them.

"'Sup, Duncan?" Mr. Pryor said from Uncle Robbie's said. Mr. Pryor was only twenty-two. Tall, lanky, good-looking and funny, Jeremiah Pryor was also a favorite among Independence students.

Duncan grinned and lightly punched Mr. Pryor's outstretched knuckle. "'Sup?" He turned to Uncle Robbie. "Dude, I need the money. I'm taking out…" Duncan paused.

Uncle Robbie wouldn't like it if he knew that Duncan was taking out a girl other than Courtney. Well. What would a teensy lie do?

"I'm taking out Courtney for lunch," Duncan finished.

Uncle Robbie's face lighted up. "Are you really?"

His mouth was already forming the word "Yes", when he found out, quite simply, that he couldn't say it. Not that he felt guilty at lying to Uncle Robbie, but the idea of Courtney actually going out with him to lunch just seemed, well, a little too good to be true. It hurt him when he thought of it, too, now that she was mad at him and all.

"No," Duncan sighed, his shoulders sagging. "No. I'm taking out Kristina."

"Kristina?" Mr. Pryor exclaimed. "The hella ho—" The sandy-haired young man cleared his throat. "I mean, the charming Miss Kristina N. Marcus?"

Duncan nodded dourly.

Mr. Pryor gaped. "Dude, how'd you score that chick? She's so smokin'---"

"We're teachers, man," Uncle Robbie cut in, shaking his head. "Calm down."

"Right." Mr. Pryor nodded.

"It's a favor; I owe her," Duncan said helplessly. "So, may I borrow thirty bucks off of you?"

Uncle Robbie contemplated Duncan for a moment, then sighed heavily and took out the leather wallet in his right pocket. "All right," he said, taking out a twenty and ten, "Here. Don't tell your mom, though."

Duncan grinned. "Thanks, bro. I'll pay you back, guaranteed."

"No, forget about it. The next time we go to TGI Friday's though, you're paying," Uncle Robbie said, pressing the money in Duncan's hands. "Take her someplace nice, all right?"

Duncan nodded. "All right. See you later, Uncle, Mr. Pryor." He waved goodbye to his uncle and teacher, before heading down to the library where, undoubtedly, Justin was waiting for Courtney.

Out of the very corner of his vision, he saw two struggling figures in the distant that oddly resembled Geoff and Courtney. Faint shouting could be heard from the two.

He caught little snips of the conversation, a high-pitched female saying something like, "…following me! Leave me _alone_!" and then a male voice exclaiming something indistinct. Duncan could hear an easy, country-boy drawl in his tone.

Hopefully, it wasn't Geoff and Courtney.

But then again, it probably was.

"_Oh, I could spend my life having this conversation- look- please try to understand before one of us dies." _

–_John Cleese_

Duncan made his way into the library, searching for that damned tall and toned figure.

He immediately spotted Justin sitting at the same table from before, secluded and alone in a dark corner of the room. His back was turned towards Duncan, but Duncan knew that it was Justin, even from the back of his head. No one else had hair like Justin.

The athletic swim team champion was checking his watch and looking disappointed. His feet were tapping on the maple wood floor impatiently.

Duncan squared his shoulder, fixed his most steely glare, and strode towards Justin, running over what he would say to the dark-haired teen. Though what it was exactly, he didn't know.

Duncan slid himself into the seat across from Justin.

Justin started; he was apparently expecting Courtney.

"Surprised?" Duncan asked dryly, propping his chin on his fingers in a very Godfather-like way.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Justin asked, an eyebrow raised.

Damn, did he have to be so polite?

"Yes, yes you can," Duncan said, leaning forward in his seat, his teal eyes level with Justin's cool ones.

In response to Duncan's obvious offensive mode, Justin reclined back in his seat, regarding Duncan with a sort of amusement. He didn't say anything, but his expression told Duncan to continue.

"I hear that you've been talking a lot with Courtney lately," Duncan said, trying to keep the bite out of his voice. "I suppose you have_ intentions _towards her?"

"And if I do?" Justin's tone was provoking.

Duncan's eyes turned flinty and he flexed his hands underneath the table. "I want you to stay away from Courtney."

Justin's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but his cool countenance quickly slid over it. "I didn't realize that you had any say in Courtney's life."

"Yeah, well, I do," Duncan bit out.

"Why is that?" Justin asked, his usually genial eyes hardening.

"I'm Courtney's boyfriend," Duncan said without thinking. A little alarm went off in the back of his head, but Duncan shook it off. What would a little lie do, anyway?

"I don't believe you," Justin responded at once. "Courtney's never once said anything about having boyfriend."

"She likes to keep relationships on the down low," Duncan said smoothly, trying to sound careless. "I mean, if you knew Courtney the way _I_ do," he said, relishing Justin's growing look of jealousy, "you would realize that, too."

A smirk grew on Justin's flawless complexion. "You honestly expect me to believe a classy girl like Courtney would go out with a guy like you?"

"A guy like _me_?" Duncan asked in disbelief. "What do you mean, a 'guy like me'?"

Anger was coursing through Duncan's veins; he was starting to see red. Sure, many people disapproved of the fact that Courtney even associated herself with a guy like him. But it never once occurred to Duncan that Courtney herself might feel that way, too. And that thought made him ticked-off. Extremely ticked-off.

Justin's cool smile widened. Duncan wanted to smash his white teeth in. "Come on. You don't seriously think you would have a chance with Courtney?" His cold blue eyes fell on Duncan's piercings and green hair.

"You're messing with the wrong guy, _Pretty Boy_," Duncan snarled, rising up from his seat, "Don't make me mad or you'll regret it."

"Face it, Duncan," Justin said quietly, his eyes flashing. He didn't show any sign of fear at Duncan's barely controlled fury. "You're just not up to Courtney's standards."

"I don't give a _damn _what you think about standards," Duncan bit out as he banged his fist on the table, shaking the books on the desk slightly, "Just _stay away_ from Courtney."

Everything was going wildly out of hand. Duncan was not supposed to be close to the breaking point; he was not supposed to let Justin make him go crazy with rage. Justin was not the person Duncan had measured him up to be at all.

"Who's gonna make me?" Justin shot back, firing up from his seat. The chair screeched against the wood floor, disrupting the studious silence of the vicinity. Heads snapped towards the back, where both men were now standing, glaring at each other, murder in their eyes.

Justin looked furious, irate, pissed off beyond belief. But Duncan's anger matched his perfectly.

"Whatever I say, goes," Duncan said loudly, almost shouting, "And I say that Courtney is already my woman!"

"You have no right to treat her like your property," Justin snarled.

"I have the right to treat her however I want to treat her!" Duncan growled, without even thinking about the thoughtless and unkind words he had said about the one girl he cared the most for.

Justin's eyes gleamed dangerously; his lips curled back into a sneer.

"You make me_ sick_!" he said with disgust, his hand a blur as he reached out across the table and snatched Duncan by his collar.

Quick as lightning, Duncan slammed Justin's arm down onto the wooden table with a resounding smash.

Justin's other free hand curled up into a fist and started flying towards Duncan's face, his expression contorted with rage.

Duncan's excellent reflexes from years of judo and boxing allowed him to dodge the punch with ease. He slashed out with his fist and punched Justin's jaw upwards, snapping his head back.

It didn't occur to Duncan that they two were actually having a fight in the middle of the freakin'_ library_. He was too blinded by fury, frustration and irritation to even realize. All he knew was that he wanted to tear Justin from limb to limb until he was so ugly, so hideous, just simply _mutilated._

Justin straightened up, stumbling slightly, a tiny bit of blood trickling out of the corner of his mouth.

Apparently, Duncan had nicked his jaw pretty good.

"You want to take this outside, asshole?" Justin asked quietly.

Duncan cricked his neck, "Bitch, we can take this anywhere; I'll still beat up your ass."

Justin's jaw tightened, and then, out of nowhere, like a stop-motion film, he had jumped across the table and towards Duncan. He was incredibly fast; Duncan didn't even see when he had leaped onto the wood table. Apparently, swimming had given Justin some alacrity also.

Justin landed a blow across Duncan's cheek; lights burst in the back of eyes like tiny bright fireworks. The delinquent staggered backwards, too shocked to even throw a punch back.

His cheek was stinging; a couple of his teeth felt a little dislodged. But then again, that was how your mouth always felt after you were punched right by the jaw.

He could taste the coppery tang of blood on his tongue. He had bitten on the inside of his cheek on accident.

Duncan wiped at his mouth, noticing the vivid red streaks the blood left on the back of his hand.

He gazed at the blood for a moment before grinning manically at Justin, who was standing across from him, chest heaving, expression livid.

Justin, for a moment, looked slightly taken aback at Duncan's bloodthirsty expression.

For Duncan, it was like as if all of his previous years of fighting at his old school were coming back. All the faces of his enemies were encompassed in Justin's. The blood, the bruises, the excitement of it all.

And without warning, Duncan leaped at Justin, ramming the swimmer into the table. The desk flipped over, and then the two were on the floor, wrestling and tussling in what was now a battle of pride.

Duncan punched, bit, ripped at every inch of Justin he could; he hardly even felt the blows that Justin was throwing at him. His adrenaline was so pumped that Justin could have driven a knife into his back and he wouldn't have felt it.

He was only faintly aware that students were now forming a circle around him and Justin; he could register their shouts. He could hear a teacher yelling above the din, her voice a screech. The librarian.

No one dared to go in and break apart the fight between Duncan and Justin. They looked dangerous. Murderous.

Duncan knew the consequences, yes, he knew it well.

Pretty soon, security guards would be here, and he would be sitting in the principal's office, and Uncle Robbie would undoubtedly have to deal with it all. His mother would be disappointed. His dad would try to send him to juvie again.

But it didn't matter. All that mattered was that Duncan would be able to hurt Justin, over and over and over. Never before had he hated anyone so much. It was a little frightening.

Justin kicked at Duncan's legs, sending excruciating, searing pain up his calf; Duncan slammed the swimmer to the floor again in fury. Justin's face was turning pale.

Duncan didn't notice Bridgette, who was watching the fight with frightened eyes, run out of the library, her phone in hand.

Everything was spinning rapidly out of control. But he was enjoying every single moment of it.

"_There is a great streak of violence in every human being. If it is not channeled and understood, it will break out in war or madness." –Sam Peckinpah_

**A/N: Oh my god, Duncan actually fighting with Justin? Who's gonna win? Who's gonna get his heart broken? xD It was fun writing this chapter; describing Duncan as he fought was a new experience for me. And what do you think of Kristian so far? I decided that I would NOT go for the gangster/punky friend. I think the saying opposites attract if essential in this fanfiction. By the way, can any of you guess what ethnicity Kristian is, judging from his last name? xD**

**I also loved writing about Geoff and Courtney! Sorry, this chapter took so long. But I updated a lot more than usual, so that should make it up. Anyways, READ AND REVIEW! I'll try to update the next chapter faster! ^___^**

**By the way, I realized I made a mistake, thanks to ashefurby1313:**

**I know that I referred to Courtney as a sophomore in chapter 10. Oops? She's a junior, sorry guys. I'll go back and fix that chapter. Or not. I'm too lazy.**

**Duncan only has one uncle: his name is Robbie. I know that I called him Uncle Keith in the beginning, but then I decided I wanted to change his name to Robbie. Sorry, again, if you were confused. I'll try and go back and change it. Or, then again, maybe not.**

_**Damn, girl, you're sharp!**_

**Another question for you guys: Do any of you like the Korean group Big Bang? If you do, would you like to read a fanfic about them, from yours truly?**


	19. The True Victor

**Chapter 19: The True Victor**

**Disclaimer: I don't own TDI. I don't even know why I even bother to write this, but it looks professional! That must be good, right? **

_"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." -Mahatma Gandhi _

**Courtney:**

Courtney had been subdued into a sullen silence as she sat with Geoff on a bench in a faraway corner of the school, well away from, she noticed, the library.

She had tried to escape the blonde. Yes, she had exhausted every technique in her book. But Geoff was much too quick and too strong for her.

So now, she was left to sit with him on a bench, alone. Geoff was sprawled out on the seat beside her, posture low and lazy, legs spread wide on the floor, arm slung on the back of the bench, his hand tickling Courtney's shoulder blades. He looked happy with himself.

Courtney had given up fighting against him five minutes ago; it was futile.

"Well, what now?" she asked a little sharply, breaking their silence. "This isn't exactly the most exciting way to spend my lunch, Geoff."

"Aw, come on," Geoff said good-naturedly, rubbing the back of Courtney's sleek head with his calloused hand. "Let's enjoy the view."

Courtney rolled her eyes. A vibration in her pocket told Courtney that someone was calling. She plucked the Blackberry out and stared at the Caller ID. It was Bridgette.

"Bridgette?" Courtney asked, wondering what her best friend was calling for.

Geoff lazily cast his eye over to Courtney, looking slightly interested.

"Hello?" Courtney said, pressing TALK.

"Oh my god, Courtney," Bridgette gasped on the other side; she sounded hysterical. "You need to come to the library right away. Justin and Duncan are fighting."

In the distance, Courtney could hear faint shouts and cheers.

"Fighting?" Courtney repeated dumbly. "What do you mean, fighting?" Why on earth would Duncan be having a fight with Justin? They hardly even spoke with each other.

"They're _fighting_!" Bridgette repeated shrilly. "I have no idea what they're fighting about, but it's serious; there's blood all over their faces! Just hurry and come, _quickly_!"

"O-oh, all right," Courtney stammered, but by then, Bridgette had already hung up.

"What was that all about?" Geoff asked, looking upon Courtney's expression with concern.

"Geoff, we have to go to the library, right now," Courtney said, her fingers trembling as she hauled her bag over her shoulder.

"Wha---? No, we can't!" Geoff said, hurrying up to stop Courtney.

"No!" Courtney said, her voice piercing, "Duncan and Justin are fighting in the library; we have to go stop it! You're good friends with Duncan, aren't you?"

Geoff stared back at Courtney, his baby blue eyes wide. There was something other than shock and fear on his face; something more than all that. Courtney felt that Geoff knew more than he let on.

"F-fighting?" he managed to say. "Are---are you sure?"

"Oh, _come on_!" Courtney cried, grabbing Geoff by the hand without waiting to reply. "We have to be fast!"

The two sprinted to the library. In the back of Courtney's frenzied mind, a small, logical part of her was wondering if the fight and Geoff's efforts to distract her from meeting with Justin had anything to do with each other.

_"The power of accurate observation is frequently called cynicism by those who don't have it."_

_-George Bernard Shaw _

**Duncan: **

Duncan could faintly hear the shouts the students were emitting around the room, but his blood was pounding in his ears; he hardly even noticed any of his surroundings. All he saw was Justin, bloody, beat up Justin. It didn't occur to Duncan that he looked pretty bad himself. Justin had managed to yank out his eyebrow piercings and his earrings. Darn shame. Those things cost a pretty penny.

Apparently, Duncan had underestimated Justin. The tanned swimmer fought with surprising skill and strength. The two men were in a deadlock.

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" the librarian was screeching hysterically, though she didn't dare step foot into the brawl for fear of getting hit herself. "Stop this at once!"

Duncan got on top of Justin, his legs on either side of Justin's torso, and taking advantage of his position, he began to punch Justin's face as hard as he could, reveling in the way that Justin's head snapped right and left.

But before he could throw in more than two hits, Justin had rolled him over, and then he was punching Duncan's head, cheek, neck, everything he could hit.

"You---don't----deserve---Courtney!" Justin grinded out, punching Duncan in each interval. Duncan doubled over in pain with each blow, but Justin's words renewed the delinquent with incredible fury and wrath.

"You goddamned son of a _bitch_!" Duncan bellowed, forced to hold up his elbows in defense. "Get the effin'_ hell _off of me!"

With a herculean effort, Duncan lunged forward, elbowing Justin in the chest, putting all his force in that one hit. He heard Justin inhale sharply in pain. Duncan grabbed Justin's collar to hold him down, but Justin rammed his fist down on Duncan's head, hard.

Fireworks exploded everywhere. Red, blue, black.

He was momentarily blind; there were fuzzy spots all over the place.

The room was spinning and he was gonna fall into a bottomless pit and kill himself. He could feel his brain rattling in its skull. Never before had someone hit his head_ that_ hard.

But Duncan's hold on Justin's collar didn't loosen and through his pain, he managed to throw a rather messily-aimed punch at Justin's face.

He heard the library door bang open, thought hazily in his head that it was the security guards; they were here. His ears were ringing.

Not yet. Not yet. He didn't hit Justin enough yet. Duncan pulled back his fist for another punch, ignoring the massive bolt that seared through his head as he did so.

"They're over here!" he heard a girl shout frantically. So she called security, did she?

Any moment, Duncan expected two rough pair of hands to yank him out of the brawl, but instead, he smelled that sweet familiar scent pervading through the air. Who was that?

_"We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time." -Vince Lombardi_

"Oh my god, _Duncan_!" he heard that recognizable female voice cry out.

He heard light footsteps running up towards him; his mind was too foggy to register who it was.

For some reason, he thought of his mother. But his mother couldn't be here, could she? She could. His mother could do anything once it came down to it.

Duncan noticed that Justin's body was being pulled from his hand; he threw another punch for good measure, but a pair of arms, strong muscular ones, pulled him off of Justin.

"Are you all right?" that familiar girl cried, her fingers touching Duncan's face, feeling his bruises.

"Fine," Duncan choked out, his hands subconsciously groping for the girl's fingers. For some odd, inexplicable reason, Duncan wanted to curl up against her, have her hold and comfort him.

Something in the back of his mind recalled who this person was. But he was going haywire at the moment.

_Nothing_ made sense.

"Duncan, what's wrong with you, bro?" came a distressed, country-boy's voice. "Why are you fighting with Justin?"

"That son of a bitch," Duncan mumbled, the room around him spinning violently as he tried to sit up. "Son of a bitch."

"Calm down, man, let's get outta here before security comes," the guy said worriedly. "Courtney, is Justin all right?"

"He's still awake," Courtney said breathlessly from somewhere to Duncan's far left.

Duncan opened his eyes blearily.

"Courtney?" he croaked, his voice barely above a whisper. Justin had smashed his windpipe pretty hard. He could hardly speak.

"She's taking care of Justin, man," the guy said, sounding concerned. "Your head's bruised pretty badly, dude. Come on, get up; we gotta get outta here, fast."

"Who the hell are _you_?" Duncan asked, pushing away the hands holding him back.

"It's Geoff! Duncan, is your head all right?" Geoff sounded frightened now.

"Oh. Geoff." Duncan sank a little; Geoff loyally caught him. "Man. Glad you're here."

"Oh, thank goodness someone's stopped the fight---young man, keep the two troublemakers here until the security guards arrive!" the librarian said shrilly. "I must have them punished; how dare they, having an outright fight in the _library_, for goodness' sake!" She hurried away to the desk, where she picked up the phone.

"Where's Courtney?" Duncan mumbled, feeling for that soft body. Why wasn't she here with him, but over there taking care of Justin?

"She's right here; come on, get on your feet. We gotta get outta here," Geoff said quietly. Duncan could see his blue eyes avert to the librarian, who was talking on the phone, calling the office, no doubt.

"Courtney, get him out through the back door," Geoff hissed, nodding towards the exit in the back of the library. _"Quickly!"_

Bridgette rushed up to Courtney and helped her hold up the barely conscious Justin, all the while looking over her shoulder at the librarian nervously. The woman was still talking on the phone; her back turned towards them.

The students surrounding the group were helping them, urging them on. Some boys even ran up to help Bridgette and Courtney pull Justin out of the library. Other students helped by blocking up the librarian's view, so she couldn't see what was happening.

"Thanks, guys," Geoff mouthed to his classmates. Most of the people, thankfully, were Geoff's friends and acquaintances that were on good terms with him. It was a good thing the blonde was so popular.

The blonde proceeded to haul Duncan over his shoulder; Duncan was too knocked up to even care how wimpy he looked. The students watching began to disperse, so as to seem innocent when the librarian would hang up the phone and come back to the scene of the crime, only to find the crime doers gone.

Geoff started running; the quick movements made the pain in Duncan's head reemerge, in sharp, painful twinges.

"Slow down!" he snarled, but his anger only managed to make him dizzier.

Then, he heard the exit door banging open, and the fresh air greeted Duncan's battered face.

"Do we go with you?" Duncan heard Courtney ask anxiously.

He wanted so badly to reach out and pull her towards him. Having Courtney nurse and coddle him sounded really good at the moment. He wouldn't mind being babied by Courtney.

"No, it'll look too suspicious," Geoff said, hauling Duncan's limp body up a little more. "I'll take him someplace empty."

"We'll take Justin to the girl's bathroom," Bridgette said immediately. "Security won't look in there."

"All right," Geoff nodded. "If anything happens, call my cell."

Justin stumbled a little, pulling the two girls down with him. Duncan could see a head of sleek brown hair trip a little.

"Take care of Duncan," Courtney called, before dragging a limping Justin towards the closest girl's bathroom. Even now, Duncan could see the green glint of her eyes.

"Courtney!" Duncan called out hoarsely, though by then she was too far to hear him anymore.

"She's hiding Justin before the guards come; I know how much trouble you'll be in if your parents find out you've been in a fight," Geoff said, hefting Duncan up a little. He seemed to be constantly sliding off.

"Where are we going?" Duncan asked hazily.

"Far away from here," Geoff replied, hurrying down an alley of trees and plants.

Duncan closed his eyes and leaned his head into Geoff's shoulder. The pain seemed to lessen when he couldn't see anything.

After a few minutes, Geoff promptly plopped Duncan onto the bench in a corner shaded by tall trees; the delinquent gave a moan, his head exploding from the sudden drop.

"How you feelin'?" Geoff asked, sliding beside Duncan. His baby blue eyes looked at Duncan's bruised eye, cheek, jaw, and his bleeding lip. He saw the bleeding marks where Justin ripped out the studs Duncan wore and winced slightly.

"My body's aching like hell," Duncan complained. "For a fairy like Justin, I'm surprised he could've fought me at all."

"He _is_ the best swimmer in the school, man," Geoff said blandly. "He's got muscle in places that I never thought possible."

Duncan shot the blonde a look.

"But," Geoff hastily amended, "You know, like, Justin looked pretty beat up, too. Maybe even worse than you."

"He better be," Duncan muttered, his senses finally returning to him a bit. At least his vision wasn't swimming in and out of focus anymore. And his head didn't hurt. Well, it did. But not that much. "Where did Courtney go again?"

"She and Bridgette hid Justin in the girl's bathroom," Geoff said a little guiltily.

Duncan's shoulders slumped and he felt like his heart was dropping to the pit of his stomach.

Though he had won the fight, Justin was the real victor in the end. Courtney went with Justin.

_She didn't go with me,_ Duncan thought. _She's probably still mad about the fight yesterday._

A squeezing pain erupted in Duncan's chest that had nothing to do with the bruises and bashes that Justin gave him.

"Man," Duncan said quietly, sliding down into his seat, looking more defeated than ever. "I messed it all up, huh?"

Geoff shook his head. "No, you--- well," the boy shrugged. "Actually, you kinda did."

Duncan looked at Geoff, a vacant look in his teal eyes. Geoff held up his hands in defense. "Beats me. I'm pretty much lost in this."

"I jacked it all up," Duncan said hollowly. "What was I _thinking?"_

"Yeah, what _were_ you thinking?" Geoff asked. "I mean, you told me it was just going to be a talk."

"It was at first," Duncan said dully. "Then it just… I don't know. Went outta control. He said some stuff. Pissed me off." Duncan gave a weak chuckle, then winced as his abdomen gave a sharp twinge. "Bet he beat me up pretty good, huh?"

"I think you won," Geoff said immediately. "Did you _see _the shiners you put on that pretty boy's face? He ain't gonna be so pretty anymore after this."

And Duncan actually smiled.

_"All are lunatics, but he who can analyze his delusion is called a philosopher." -Ambrose Bierce_

**Courtney:**

Justin had been a little floozy after the fight. He didn't want to talk, and just sat there on the bathroom floor, dully staring off into the distance.

Bridgette and Courtney were in the corner, whispering to one another.

"What are we going to do?" Bridgette whispered, looking at the zombie-like Justin.

"The bell's going to ring soon," Courtney said, looking down at her watch. "You should go ahead to class; I'll stay here and watch over him."

Bridgette's olive-green eyes widened slightly. "Courtney, you could get in serious trouble. You know how Mr. Marchand is with unexcused absences."

Courtney and Bridgette had the same French 3 class together next period; their teacher was extremely strict when it came to tardies and absences.

"I don't care," Courtney said, resting her small chin on her knee.

Bridgette's shoulders slumped slightly. "I wonder how Geoff did with Duncan."

Courtney bit her lips. Worry gnawed at her innards. She had never seen Duncan that angry before. It frightened her, seeing how Duncan was punching at Justin, his expression wild and savage. But at the same time, he exuded such power, such strength; she never knew he could be like that. It was like seeing a darker side of Duncan.

No, Courtney told herself frantically. This is serious. Stay on-topic.

"Do you think he's hurt badly?" asked the C.I.T quietly.

"Well, he must've gotten hurt a bit." Bridgette slid beside Courtney; she was comforted by her best friend's warmth. "But in any case, he seemed better than Justin here."

Courtney glanced at Justin again. He was still in the same slumped position.

"Why didn't you go with Duncan?" Bridgette asked in a whisper.

Courtney looked at her hands. She didn't really know the answer herself. Why _had_ she chosen to go with Justin, and not with Duncan? She was worried sick over Duncan right now, even more than her step-brother.

She should have gone with Duncan. It was what she was supposed to do, what she wanted to do. But that fight yesterday was still in her mind, and she couldn't find it in her heart to face him just yet.

"Geoff was taking care of Duncan already," Courtney said feebly. "Besides. You couldn't drag Justin to the bathroom alone, could you?"

Bridgette nodded. "That's true." The blonde linked her arm through Courtney's. "But you should visit him later. Maybe when he's home."

Courtney didn't reply; she was musing over Bridgette's words. Visit Duncan in his home later?

The bell rang.

Bridgette hesitated. "Courtney, I don't want to leave you like this here…"

"Don't stay," Courtney insisted. "Go to class. That way, Mr. Marchand won't be so suspicious."

Bridgette looked at Courtney for a while, then stood up. "All right. If anything happens, text me." She picked up her gray Abercrombie & Fitch messenger bag. "You're going to stay in here until class ends then?"

Courtney nodded. "Hurry and get to class or you'll be late. And when you see Gwen, tell her what happened. Just make sure she doesn't get too excited."

Bridgette smiled slightly in spite of their dark situation. "Sure. I'll see you later, Courtney."

Courtney waved goodbye to her friend, a slight smile on her lips.

When the bathroom door closed with a heavy thump, and the warmth of Bridgette disappeared, however, Courtney's brave smile slid off.

She gave a sigh and hugged her knees to her chest. She couldn't stop thinking about Duncan. Where was he now? What was he doing? Most likely he wasn't going to be in class.

"That was my first fight ever," said a quiet voice.

Courtney turned. Justin was staring blankly ahead. That was the first time he had spoken since the fight. Justin tilted his head slightly and managed a small smile at Courtney. His teeth seemed to gleam even in the darkness of the bathroom.

"It was pretty exciting," Justin continued, his blue eyes focused on Courtney's green ones. "I mean, Duncan being such a tough guy and all."

"Are you all right?" Courtney asked, scooting a little closer to Justin. "I mean, you seemed pretty out of it."

"I'm fine now," Justin mumbled, trying to sit up and wincing. "But Duncan beat me up pretty bad."

Courtney smiled a little. "It _is_ Duncan we're talking about."

Justin looked at Courtney, his expression unreadable. "Are you on his side?"

Courtney blinked. "What? I'm not on anyone's side! In fact," she said, her pompous self emerging, "I think that fighting is a vulgar and ignorant way to solve problems. It's ridiculous; modern, educated men acting like Neanderthals. I find it revolting," she finished with a sniff.

Justin's smile widened. She could see faint blotches of blood on his amazingly white teeth.

"You really are something, you know that, Courtney?" Justin said, starting to rest his chin on his knuckles when he pulled back, making a grimace. "Damn. Everything I touch hurts like hell."

Courtney reached into her bag and pulled out a first-aid kit. "Good thing I always have a first-aid kit handy. Being a counselor-in-training has taught me that much. So," she said bossily, turning towards Justin, "Where does it hurt?" She popped open the case.

Justin raised an eyebrow. "You're serious?"

"Well?" Courtney insisted.

He rolled his eyes and held out his arm. There were angry red bite marks on his wrist and scratches that were bleeding slightly.

"Oh, god, don't tell me Duncan actually bit you," Courtney said with slight disgust. Trust Duncan to fight like that.

"He did," Justin said. "Hope I don't get rabies." He flashed Courtney a grin.

"Don't joke around in times like this," Courtney reprimanded, getting on her knees and peeling off a band-aid. She placed it on one of the bleeding marks. "Let's hope none of the students rat you or me out, or else, we're in big trouble."

Independence High School was a strict school; it didn't tolerate fights of any kind. Any students who were involved in fights were most likely to be suspended, and if it came to the worst, expelled.

"The librarian probably didn't recognize us," Justin said, his breathing a little heavy.

They were quiet for a moment as Courtney bandaged up Justin's arm. Then, she asked, her voice soft, "Why did you leave so quickly?"

Justin looked at Courtney, confused. "What do you mean?"

"You left right after fifth. I couldn't find you anywhere," said Courtney, peering at a particularly nasty bite mark. "And then Geoff got all weird on me and wanted me to hang out with him."

"Noah came and told me that someone had destroyed my history project exhibition; I don't know how he knew. I bet someone in the class was whispering about it or something to him. I had to go and check."

"_Was_ it destroyed?"

Justin sighed. "Yeah. Pretty much. You know, thinking about it now, I bet Duncan destroyed it. Or one of his friends, anyway."

"Justin," Courtney sighed, leaning back on her heels. "Why did you fight Duncan anyway?"

Justin shrugged, watching Courtney peel off another band-aid. "He was pissing me off."

"He pisses everyone off," Courtney replied. "But no one else goes around picking fights with him."

"If you heard what he said," Justin said, his voice low, "You would know why I did."

"Try me," Courtney said lightly, holding up Justin's other hand and inspecting it for wounds. "I've heard almost every vulgar thing I could from that moron."

Justin opened his mouth but then closed it shut. He shook his head. "Never mind. Forget about it."

Courtney gazed at Justin, wondering what Duncan could have said to piss Justin off so badly.

But then again, she could just ask Duncan later. She had decided already that she would visit Duncan later. It seemed like the right thing to do.

"All right, don't tell me then," Courtney consented. "Come closer so I can put this on your black eye."

Justin leaned towards Courtney.

A beat-up person had such an odd smell to them, Courtney thought faintly, putting some salve on Justin's closed eyelid.

They smelled of blood, yes, but there was another smell. A battered, ragged, defeated smell.

"Thank you, Courtney," Justin said, his eyes still closed. Even in his tattered state, he still looked beautiful nonetheless.

"For what?" Courtney asked, taking her fingers delicately off of Justin's eyelids.

He opened his eyes and smiled at her. "For staying with me." _And not Duncan_, his tone seemed to add.

Courtney managed a small smile. "It was my duty, since we're practically family and all."

Justin's smile fell a little. "Right. Family."

Courtney sat down next to Justin. His arm brushed against hers as he moved slightly.

She didn't tell him that the person she wanted to see most right now was a jerk with green hair.

_"I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had an underlying truth." -Umberto Eco_

**Duncan:**

The bell had rung, signaling the end of school.

"Well, bro, we made it," Geoff said with a groan as he stood up, arching his back in the air.

Duncan stood up, swaying a little. Even after an hour of sitting and relaxing his battered muscles, he found that it still hurt when he made any movement.

Duncan felt highly grateful for Geoff. The blonde cowboy had loyally skipped class and stayed behind with his friend, keeping him company.

The two men had spent most of the period talking the worst things about Justin. Duncan felt that he could now slightly understand why it was that girls loved talking shit about one another. It really helped relieve his anger.

"You gonna go home now?" Geoff asked, watching Duncan move rigidly with a concerned eye. "I mean, you know, you driving a motorcycle and all…"

"I'll be fine, man," Duncan said carelessly. "I mean, come on. A few bruises can't stop _me_ from riding my bike."

Duncan knew he got more than a few simple bruises, but why make things seem worse than they already were?

"You sure? I mean, I can drive you home."

"Nah," Duncan shook his head. "I'll be fine." And just to prove it, he gave a stretch, bravely enduring the pain that shot up his spine and arms and abdomen and every other freakin' part of his body.

"All right, then," Geoff said uncertainly. He looked around. "I wonder where Courtney and Bridgette are. You think they got out all right?"

"I don't know," Duncan said, sobering up at the thought of Courtney again. He had forced himself to not let his mind wander to her, or what she might be doing with Justin.

Of course, Bridgette was there with her, Duncan told himself. Nothing could happen.

And then a prickly wave of anger rose over Duncan. Suddenly he was filled with bitterness and resentment.

What was he so worried about anyway? Why did he care if Courtney was alone with Justin? She obviously didn't give a damn about him; she didn't even care about him at all!_ Princess_ was a waste of his time. And to think, he had thought she was different from other girls. But she wasn't.

She preferred Pretty Boy over him; she was like all other stupid superficial girls, girls who went for the looks and the body and the money.

The girl wasn't worth his time, Duncan thought viciously. Women. You could never trust them.

"Should we find Courtney and Bridgette?" Geoff asked.

"No," Duncan said shortly, standing up and brushing the front of his shirt. "Princess can take care of herself. She takes care of Justin well enough."

"What?" Geoff asked, hurrying after Duncan.

"Nothing," Duncan answered, his tone curt and brusque. "If you want to go find your woman, you can. But leave me out of it."

"Dude, what's your damage?" Geoff asked, sounding indignant.

"I told you, nothing," Duncan said, sounding irked. "I'm gonna go home now."

He attempted to walk away without looking totally exhausted, but failed.

"Look, are you sure you can go home like this?" Geoff asked, sounding terse now. "I don't want you getting hurt on the way home."

"I'm fine," Duncan replied, trying to sound more amiable. He felt slightly guilty for being so mean to Geoff when he was being so loyal and concerned. But his anger and resentment towards Courtney Mann was consuming him inside and out.

Geoff hesitated, but then his phone gave a ring. The blonde pulled out his Sidekick and read the text.

"Oh," Geoff said after reading it.

"What?" Duncan asked, stopping and turning around, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Bridgette left Courtney at the start of sixth period; Courtney wouldn't let her stay," Geoff said a little uncertainly. "She wants me to go check on the two."

Prickles ran up Duncan's arm. "So she left Courtney alone with Justin?" Duncan bit out.

Geoff looked up at Duncan. "Dude?"

"That's great. That's just effin' _wonderful_," Duncan said sarcastically, walking away. "I break all the goddamned bones in my body just to keep Justin away from Courtney, and in the end, guess what?" Duncan malevolently kicked at a trashcan in the corner, sending it sprawling. "They end up together anyway. Doesn't that just beat every single friggin' thing in the book?"

The contents of the trashcan had spilled onto the floor. Duncan's leg twitched in protest at the sudden abuse, but he ignored it. If anything, Duncan embraced the pain.

Geoff hurriedly tipped the trashcan upright. "Man, come on. Nothing happened, I'm sure."

"I bet," Duncan snarled. "_I bet_."

He thought of all the things Justin could've told Courtney while they were alone in the bathroom. What Duncan had said to him, how he had started the fight, how Duncan had spoken about Courtney like she was nothing…

Courtney would have every reason to hate him now.

But he didn't care, Duncan reminded himself savagely.

"Don't worry about me," Duncan said, heading off to the parking lot where his motorcycle waited. "I'm gonna go home. And tell your girlfriend I said thanks," he added, his tone bitter. "Thanks a lot for leaving Courtney and Justin like that."

"Look, man, it wasn't her fault," Geoff started loyally on his girlfriend's behalf.

"Whatever. It's over now. I'll see you tomorrow," Duncan said, waving to Geoff and disappearing into the emerging throng of students. He didn't look back to see what Geoff's expression could look like.

He wasn't sure he wanted to know. All he wanted right now was to get to the gym and punch that punching bag until it broke.

That sounded like a good idea.

Duncan winced as his leg buckled slightly. Damn it. Just that little kick to the trashcan and his leg was already going out on him.

Maybe going to the gym was a bad idea. Sleeping on his bed and watching cartoons. Yeah, that sounded good.

He slipped his hand into his pocket and felt some crisp papers. Pulling it out, Duncan realized that it was money. The money he had borrowed from his uncle earlier today. It felt so long ago.

Then he remembered about Kristina. Maybe he should call her.

Duncan sighed and shoved the money back into his pocket. It didn't matter if Kristina would get mad. By now, he was too tired and emotionally-drained to care.

Duncan would rather die than admit it, but for the first time in his entire life, he might, just _might_, be feeling what was disgustingly known as a broken heart.

And it killed him to think so.

"_Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling in at night. I miss you like hell." –Edna St. Vincent Millay_

**Courtney:**

"How will you get home?" Courtney asked, helping Justin up and pulling him out of the girl's bathroom before any teachers could find them.

"I'll drive home," Justin said, his voice a little hoarse.

"Can you manage?" Courtney asked, "Driving home, I mean?"

"I'm not that badly hurt," Justin said, grunting as he slipped a little.

Apparently, when Duncan had jumped on Justin, he had also succeeded in twisting Justin's ankle.

"Don't you have a seventh period?" Courtney asked. "So you're skipping it, then?"

The school was very large, so it was divided into two divisions: late start and early start. Students who had early start, like Courtney and Duncan, had a first period and a sixth. Late starters, like Justin, had a second period and a seventh, but they got out an hour later.

"Do you think I can go to seventh period looking like this?" Justin asked, gesturing at his bruises and cuts. "I don't think so. The teacher will notice for sure."

"Well, do you want me to call Kristina for you?" Courtney asked, reaching for her cell phone.

"No, it's all right," Justin said, shaking his head. "She said she has a date after school, anyway. Whatever. Leave her alone."

"A date," Courtney repeated, thinking of the guy Kristina would go out with. "Would you know who it is?"

"I don't know," Justin said, hobbling now, "I don't talk with my sister about stuff like this."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry you got dragged into all of this," Justin said, sounding sincere. "You didn't have to skip class for me."

"But I did," Courtney said, shrugging. "It doesn't matter. It's over with. And besides, one skip won't ruin my otherwise perfect attendance."

Justin chuckled. "Right. So, how are you getting home?"

"I usually walk," Courtney said, "But today, I think I'll have Geoff drive me."

"I could drive you home," Justin offered.

"Thank you, but I don't want to bother you," Courtney said, "Besides, Geoff is driving me somewhere, too." Of course, she hadn't consulted Geoff yet, but whatever. He would probably drive her.

"Oh. All right. Where are you going?"

"I'm going to visit Duncan," Courtney said without preamble. Then she realized it wasn't _quite_ the smartest thing for her to say.

Justin's body had stiffened.

"Him?" the swimmer asked, disgust in his tone. "Why are you wasting your time on_ that_ guy?"

Courtney opened her mouth to defend Duncan, but could not find a legitimate reason. Memories of their fight just yesterday were blooming again, and feelings of bitterness swirled. But Courtney's concern for Duncan's well-being overcame her resentment. She needed to see how he was doing before she could start hating him again.

"Well?" Justin pressed, noticing Courtney's silence.

"Duncan may seem like a complete jerk," Courtney said at last. "But he's… well, to me, he's different."

"Different," Justin repeated.

"Look, I know you and Duncan don't see eye-to-eye," Courtney started.

Justin gave a snort.

"But I don't see him the way you do," Courtney continued, her tone fierce. "He's not that bad of a person once you get to know him."

She recalled the time Duncan watched over her at the party, the time he carried her home when she sprained her ankle, and the days when he used to tease her and call her "Princess". Those days seemed so far behind.

"Is he just your friend?" Justin asked.

Courtney didn't reply.

"If you knew the truth about your Duncan," Justin said quietly, "You wouldn't think of him so highly."

"He's not _my_ Duncan! And what are you talking about?" Courtney demanded. "I wish you'd just tell me!"

"There's the parking lot," Justin cut in. "My car's in the corner. That black Lexus."

It was clear he did not want to tell her. And she didn't push the subject.

_"The secret of success is to know something nobody else knows." -Aristotle Onassis _

**Duncan:**

The moment he got home, he made himself a bowl of cereal, turned on the TV, and watched Courage the Cowardly Dog with Spike. Spike loved to watch that pink dog get maimed.

For Duncan, it was good to watch other people in pain sometimes. Helped him forget about his own.

_"How can I lose to such an idiot?" -Aaron Nimzovich (after losing a chess match)_

**Courtney:**

Justin was gone. He had driven away in what could be called a huff.

But Courtney thought he was just sulking.

It was ridiculous, she decided. Justin and Duncan fighting. What could they possibly be fighting about anyway? Of course, she could have wheedled the truth out of Justin, but she would rather talk with Duncan about it.

And besides. That would give her an excuse to visit Duncan. She could find out the truth about the brawl and at the same time, check in and see how Duncan was doing.

He _did _seem badly hurt, Courtney thought.

Courtney's heart ached a little. She didn't like to think of Duncan in so much pain.

Courtney saw Geoff round the corner, looking worried.

The two met each other's eyes. Courtney waved him over.

"Hey," Geoff said, coming towards Courtney. "How's Justin doing?"

"He's fine; I took care of him," Courtney said. "How's Duncan?"

"I don't know, man," Geoff said. "He's pretty wounded. I mean, you hurt his pride." He nodded solemnly.

"What ridiculous things are you spouting now, Geoff?" Courtney asked, irritated. "How did I hurt his pride?"

"You left with Justin."

"Only because _you_ were already with him! Bridgette couldn't have taken care of Justin by herself," Courtney said, exasperated. "Look, can we discuss this later? I need to ask you something."

"Shoot."

"Can you take me to Duncan's house? I want to check in on him."

Geoff's face lightened up. "Really? That'll make him happy. Seriously, you should've _seen_ the guy," Geoff said, walking with Courtney towards the parking lot again. "It was unbelievable. He was poisonous, dude."

Courtney frowned. From what Geoff was saying, Duncan sounded really angry. A little churl of worry started in the pit of Courtney's stomach. Could he be angry with her?

Geoff unlocked his car. "Hop on in, babe."

Courtney got into the passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt. "How angry was he?"

"A lot," Geoff said, rolling his eyes. "He was like, PMSing on me, man."

Courtney's lips twitched. "That's such a vibrant description, Geoff."

"Thank you." He started the car and began to rear out of the school.

Courtney took out her cellphone and dialed her mother's number. She didn't pick up, as was expected, so Courtney dutifully left a voice message saying that she would be visiting a sick friend after school for a while.

Who the friend was, Courtney conveniently left out of the message.

They were now on the road; Geoff was saying something about where Duncan's house was located.

"It's scary," Courtney cut in, gripping her phone.

"What's scary?" Geoff asked, confused. "Duncan's neighborhood? I mean, you know, he's a pretty tough guy, but where he lives is nice and friend---"

Courtney sighed. "Not that, Geoff. I meant… seeing Duncan fight."

"Oh. Yeah. He's got some skills, doesn't he?" Geoff chuckled.

"You would find it amusing," Courtney said at once, rolling her eyes. "But I was terrified. I mean, I never knew Duncan could be like that. Of course, it's obvious he's a delinquent and everything, but… it was surprising, how _violent_ he was."

She remembered the way his eyes looked, murderous and vicious, and the way his lips were pulled back into an animalistic snarl.

And, she'd admit, it scared her.

"Well, everything he did, he did for you!" Geoff said suddenly.

Courtney frowned. "What?"

Geoff's eyes widened, and he shook his head so hard, his cowboy hat tilted sideways. "Nothing. Don't worry about it."

Courtney looked suspiciously at Geoff. "What do you mean, 'everything he did, he did for me'?"

Geoff shook his head again. "Look, it's nothing. You don't have to worry about it. You can ask Duncan later anyway."

Courtney glowered at Geoff. She was sick and tired of having things hidden from her. First, it was Justin, who refused to tell her what Duncan said to make him so angry, and now Geoff, who had said some cryptic words and wouldn't further elaborate on it.

Courtney did not like to be left in the dark. She hated it, actually.

The car came to a slow stop, shaking Courtney out of her thoughts. "We're here."

"This is Duncan's house?" Courtney asked in surprise, forgetting her anger as she looked up at the house they stopped in front of.

It was a picturesque house, looked about two stories; if anything, it resembled those sweet and charming homes on Desperate Housewives. Not a delinquent with green hair and numerous piercings. The only sign that showed that Duncan actually lived here was a motorcycle parked outside besides a gleaming red Audi. Like Duncan himself, the dark and dangerous vehicle made a stark contrast with the rest of the pleasant scene.

Of course, Courtney didn't know whether or not this was Duncan's motorcycle, but judging from its outlandish looks compared to the house itself, it probably was.

"His parents are actually really nice people," Geoff said, noticing Courtney's expression. "It's sorta weird."

"Right," Courtney said, opening the door and getting out.

She noted the little row of flowers that were planted by the corners of the house, and the pretty silk curtains hanging by the windows.

Duncan did not look like he would live here. At _all_.

"Well, Courtney, I gotta go," Geoff said from behind Courtney.

"Wait, what?" Courtney gasped, whirling around.

"I'll see you later," Geoff said, already starting the car.

"Well, Geoff, how on Earth am I supposed to get home?" Courtney hissed, holding on to the car. "Don't be stupid!"

"When you need to get home, call me; I'll pick up for sure," Geoff promised. "Or Duncan could drive you home."

"Oh, Geoff, wait---" Courtney said angrily, "Just stay here; I'll be a minute only!"

"Come on, Courtney," Geoff said, looking pained now. "I don't want to rush you and Duncan—"

"There will be no need for that; I'm just going in to check!"

"Sorry, sister, but I gotta roll," Geoff said, revving the car back, forcing Courtney to release her hold on the vehicle. Without another word, he drove off, waving goodbye to Courtney.

Courtney stamped her foot angrily, gnashing on her teeth. That Geoff was up to something, she just knew it.

"Thanks a lot, jerk!" Courtney yelled, though she doubted Geoff could hear her. "Thanks a lot for nothing!"

_"Now, now my good man, this is no time for making enemies." –Voltaire (on his deathbed in response to a priest asking that he renounce Satan)._

**A/N: Duncan's heart? Broken? Can there be such a thing? Ooh, what is going to happen when Courtney comes to meet with Duncan? Will he reject her? You know, there's a psychological part of Duncan that won't call people by their name unless he a.) is really close with them, b.) really hates them, c.) really likes them. or d.) actually trusts them. In Courtney's case, after she went with Justin, he started referring to her no longer as "Courtney" but "Princess". **

**When writing the fighting part of Justin and Duncan, I was debating whether I should have Duncan drop the F-Bomb simply because it seemed appropriate and would have added more to his anger. But I decided not to, because I dislike the F-word a lot, so I decided to use 'effin' instead. Laugh all you want, but that's the closest I will come to the F-word. **

**Anyway… Just to clarify everything about the outcome of the fight, Duncan was beating Justin up until the end, but Justin ended up with Courtney (though she would've rather been with Duncan). So in the end, who is the real victor? By the way, next chapter will have the reappearance of a certain character you haven't seen lately… So read and review, guys! **

**And, I'm also really flattered. A lot of people had told me they thought my story would suck, because it's AU, and there are OC characters and all that, and then they would tell me that my story changed their opinion after reading my story. Well, that really makes me happy. Personally, I don't see what's wrong with DuncanxCourtney high school AUs. I love those. But I guess that's just me. Anyway, just wanted to say how grateful I was that people gave my story a shot despite their thing with bad high-school AU stories (one person said it was because of the "massive number of reviews". Okay. That helps, too. So keep on supporting YDYD! (: **

**Also, I want to apologize for the slow updates. My summer has been hectic lately, going here and there and everything. I'm also starting to work on a Big Bang fanfiction simply because I'm in love with them, which might have been a reason why I haven't been doing so well on YDYD… But I'm working on the story again, so I'll try and have a new chapter up in two weeks from now! Hopefully. Read and Review, guys! Thanks again for dealing with my slow updating! **


	20. To Hate or Not to Hate?

**Chapter 20: To Hate or Not to Hate?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own TDI or its characters, sadly. **

"_A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong, which is but saying... that he is wiser today than he was yesterday." -Alexander Pope_

**Duncan:**

He sat upright in his bed. Spike, who was lying around on the pillow, mimicked Duncan's movements.

Was he dreaming or was he hearing Princess outside of his house?

Duncan tripped a little as he hurried out of bed and came to the window.

Sure enough, there was Courtney on the pavement, yelling as Geoff's Mustang drove away.

So Geoff was in on this, wasn't he?

Duncan stared down at the slim figure of the brunette, who was now pacing back and forth on the block, muttering to herself.

Duncan found himself smiling slightly at the sight, but quickly reminded himself that he did not have feelings for the superficial girl anymore.

Whatever. She could stand out there all she wanted, he wasn't gonna let her in.

Duncan proceeded to climb back into his bed, but paused as he heard footsteps clicking up the pavement.

He hurried to the window again. Princess was about to ring the doorbell.

"Should I?" Duncan asked, looking sideways at his puppy.

Spike whimpered and looked back at Duncan with his big brown eyes.

The doorbell rang.

Duncan went for the door, but paused, hand poised above the doorknob.

Spike trotted up to his master, looking up at the young man.

Duncan looked pained as the doorbell rang again. "I don't know, man," the delinquent groaned, in a mental battle with himself.

"I should. I shouldn't," Duncan muttered to himself, pacing on the floor. "I should. I shouldn't."

The doorbell rang one more time.

"Damn it, I will!" Duncan shouted, hurrying out of the bedroom, Spike running after on his tiny paws.

The teen slid down the banister (though his ass was crying out in pain at this) and hurried towards the foyer, but then caught himself, and slowed down.

He had to make it like as if he was in great pain, not jumping and eager.

So he made sure his footsteps were slow and dragging, and waited until Princess had rung the doorbell at least three more times, before slowly opening the door.

His heart leapt at the sight of seeing Courtney standing before him, looking adorably flustered and nervous.

No, Duncan, he told himself. Heart of stone, man. He couldn't let Courtney do this to him; just run off to Justin and then back to him, and act like as if it was all okay. Because it wasn't.

"Duncan!" Courtney exclaimed. "How are you feeling?" She smiled down at Spike who was now running in circles around her feet, yipping happily.

Duncan leaned into the doorframe and looked over Courtney; he could see wrinkles and creases in her shirt where Justin probably latched onto her. And even her scent. He could smell Justin's stinking cologne overpowering Courtney's subtle perfume.

Duncan's blood boiled, but he controlled himself. All of his previous excitement to see her ebbed away.

"Fine," Duncan said gruffly, turning away. He didn't bother to invite her in. "What are you here for?"

"I'm worried about you!" Courtney said, sounding injured. "You… you seemed badly hurt."

Duncan snorted. "Babe, I hurt Justin a lot more than he hurt me; you should be worried about him."

But the cringe that he gave when Courtney shoved against his chest proved otherwise. The brunette glared at Duncan as she stepped into his house.

"If you're going to go on about this stupid Justin thing, I'll leave," she said threateningly. "You're being totally immature."

"So you're just gonna come into my house and insult me? Look, Princess, you can leave; no one's stopping you," Duncan said nastily. "It's not like I asked you to come over here. Unlike Justin, I don't need _anyone_."

His voice sounded like a stranger's to his ear. Was he actually saying this to Courtney?

Courtney's eyes widened; for a moment, she looked speechless. And then, she looked incredibly hurt.

Duncan felt a huge wave of remorse wash over him. But he didn't have the nerve to apologize. He was supposed to be angry; seeing her like this should've made him satisfied.

But if anything, it just hurt him even more.

"I came over here because I was worried about you," Courtney said, her voice steely. "But if this is how it's going to be, then fine. Good bye, Duncan."

She turned around, stepped over Spike, leaving the threshold. Spike gave a low whine.

Duncan whirled around, suddenly regretting everything he said. He hobbled as fast as he could after Courtney.

"Courtney, wait!" Duncan shouted, wanting to kill himself now. "Wait! I'm sorry! I didn't mean---"

And then he tripped over Spike's damn chew toy.

Duncan's foot skid fantastically over the toy and suddenly, he was in the air in an odd sort of aerial arch, and then, with a magnificent crash, he fell flat on his face over the threshold of the house. All the air was knocked out of his chest; he couldn't breathe.

And _damn_. His face_ had_ to be smashed into the Welcome mat. Wasn't that just grand?

"Augh," Duncan groaned, his body shivering in pain. It shot up to his face, where his fresh bruises were still sore, and his stomach, where he had rammed into the hard ground. He couldn't even move.

All because of that damn toy.

Spike was now by his side, loyally licking Duncan's face, whimpering.

Duncan pushed the tiny pup away, attempting to sit up.

Footsteps rushed towards him. "Duncan, what are you doing?" cried Courtney, helping the delinquent up. "Are you okay? Where does it hurt?"

"Freakin' everywhere," Duncan groaned, wobbling on his feet and nearly collapsing as a sharp pain shot up his ankle. "God_damn_. I think I twisted my ankle."

"Oh, come on, let's get you on the sofa," Courtney said, urging Duncan to move.

"Take me up to my room," Duncan said, wincing. "I want to lie down."

Courtney nodded. "Okay, okay. Let me close the doo--- oh, _Spike_, you're going to trip me!" Spike was running in circles around Courtney's feet, barking.

"Spike, sit," Duncan ordered in a hoarse voice.

In the corner of his eye, he saw the fur-ball obediently sit down.

"Good boy," Duncan rasped, still finding it difficult to get oxygen into his windpipe.

"Duncan, you need to be careful," Courtney said desperately as she pulled him up the stairs. "You're gonna get yourself killed."

"Thought you were gonna leave," Duncan said, laughing hollowly. "Scared me for a moment."

Courtney was silent.

"You're not gonna leave after this, are you?" Duncan asked childishly.

Courtney shook her head. "I can't leave you like _this_."

Duncan smiled to himself. That was good. Apparently, him being in pain made Courtney more receptive to him.

"Where's your room?" Courtney asked as they went up the landing of the stairs.

"The one on the left," Duncan said, nodding towards the open bedroom door.

Courtney helped Duncan into his room.

"Your room isn't as messy as I thought it would be," she commented, looking around the area.

Duncan's room wasn't the typical room of a delinquent. Sure, he had his rock band posters of Linkin Park, Foo Fighters, KISS, and AC/DC and all that plastered on the walls. But otherwise, it was decent.

Not exactly at its cleanest, though, Duncan thought, discreetly kicking a pair of his dirty boxers under his bed.

"Here, let me help you lie down," Courtney said, helping Duncan to the bed. She placed some extra cushions near Duncan's feet and propped his legs up on it.

"That'll help your swelling," said Courtney, eyeing his ankle expertly. "I think it's just a light sprain."

"Thanks, Courtney," Duncan said gratefully, though he was actually cursing at his bad luck. First, he got beat up. Then he had to go and get his ankle twisted.

But, on the bright side, he got Courtney taking care of him.

Maybe it wasn't such bad luck after all.

"I'll go get ice for your ankle," Courtney said anxiously, watching Duncan's ankle slowly turn redder and redder by the moment.

She started to leave the room when Duncan called her back, hesitating for a moment.

"Courtney," he said, half hoping she wouldn't hear.

The brunette looked back in the doorway. "What?"

"I, uh…" Duncan cleared his throat. Damn, this was awkward. "I'm sorry. For, uh… for what I said to you. Earlier. I didn't mean it."

Courtney stared at Duncan for a while.

Duncan stared back, feeling nervous now.

Then, Courtney smiled.

"You don't say sorry often, do you?"she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Duncan shook his head. "The word barely comes outta my mouth."

"I give your apology a C-," Courtney said disdainfully, though Duncan got the feeling that she was just joking around. "But A for effort, Duncan." She smiled at him again before leaving the room.

A goofy smile grew on Duncan's face as he watched her walk away.

Damn. He couldn't stay mad at that woman.

"_It's a sort of bloom on a woman. If you have it, you don't need to have anything else; and if you don't have it, it doesn't much matter what else you have." -James Matthew Barrie_

**Courtney:**

She opened the freezer, looking for some ice.

She didn't even know she was smiling to herself.

"_Forbidden things have a secret charm." -Publius Cornelius Tacitus_

**Duncan:**

Duncan twiddled his fingers impatiently.

In her absence, Duncan had run over a different dozen scenarios in which he and Courtney would end up making out. Every way worked out fine.

He could grab her hand. Say some sexy words. Seduce her until she went wild.

Duncan smiled to himself, thinking of all the words he could whisper to her.

The boy winced as Spike jumped onto his ankle.

He wouldn't be able to do much with a sprained ankle. Damn it. What a shame.

_You're supposed to be mad at her, not thinking of ways to kiss her,_ a voice whispered in Duncan's ear.

Duncan frowned. That was true.

But he couldn't stay mad at Courtney. Yes, he had promised himself he'd never look at her ever again, but the moment he saw her standing there in the doorway, all resolutions were off. He couldn't lie to himself like that.

Duncan heard footsteps coming upstairs and he quickly slumped back into his pillow, trying to look fatigued and tired.

Courtney came through the doorway, an ice pack in her hands.

"I couldn't find the first-aid kit," she said, her eyes falling onto the cuts and bruises on Duncan's face.

Courtney bit her lips in concern. "Where is it?"

Duncan blinked. He realized that Courtney was actually worried about him.

"There's a first-aid kit in the closet by the hall," Duncan said, nodding outside. He watched as Courtney went back out into the hall to look for the kit.

Duncan felt a little tingly when he thought of Courtney tending to his wounds. He hadn't bothered with them when he got home; he was too angry. Sure, the scratches were stinging and the bruises were throbbing pretty bad. But it didn't really hurt him; he'd been through so much worse, anyway.

"Found it," Courtney said triumphantly from outside. She went back into Duncan's room, holding a large white box.

"What, we're playing doctor now?" Duncan asked naughtily, suddenly imagining Courtney in a tight nurse uniform. Damn, that's hot.

Courtney narrowed her eyes at Duncan. "Don't start, Duncan."

Duncan put up his hands slightly. "All right, sorry."

"I'm gonna put ice on your ankle, all right?" Courtney took the ice pack she had in her hand, and wrapped it gently around Duncan's now swollen ankle.

Duncan winced slightly as he felt the pressure.

"Does it hurt a lot?" Courtney asked worriedly, noticing Duncan's expression. "Do you want to prop it on some more pillows?"

Duncan glanced at Courtney, taken aback by her sudden tenderness. And then, a sly thought crossed his mind. He could use her care to his advantages.

"Actually," Duncan pretended to grimace in pain. "My bruises are hurting a lot worse than my ankle."

Courtney immediately grabbed the first-aid kit. "Where? Show me."

Duncan held out his arm, where there were long red scratches running down his wrist. "Right here," he said sadly. "See that? It could leave a scar."

Courtney's face crumpled when she saw the battered state of Duncan's arm. "Oh, Duncan. That's terrible."

She took Duncan's arm gently into her hands, fingers touching the scratches carefully.

Duncan gazed unashamedly at Courtney, watching the way her lips were puckered out slightly in anxiety, the way her eyebrows were furrowed, the way her eyes were focused on him and only him. It was wonderful.

She ran a soft fingertip over the deep scrape that Justin's fingernails left. Duncan reveled at her touch, thoroughly enjoying her warmth, the way her fingers lightly ran across his skin. A shiver of delight ran up Duncan's spine.

He felt slightly guilty that he was using Courtney like this, but there was no harm done. He had scratches that needed to be patched up. Simple as that.

Of course, there was the ulterior motive, but Courtney didn't need to know about that, did she?

Duncan watched as Courtney peeled off a band-aid and carefully placed it over his lightly bleeding scratch.

She patted it down for good measure, and then looked up at Duncan. Duncan quickly looked away, pretending to be blasé. Like as if he hadn't been staring at her with a burning passion for the last minute.

"Where else does it hurt?" Courtney asked quietly, though her eyes were already falling onto the nicks and bruises on Duncan's jaw and cheeks.

Duncan tilted his cheek towards Courtney, putting on a little pout. He leaned in closer to the girl so that she could have a closer look at his battle wounds. "Right here." He pointed at a purple bruise by his jaw.

Courtney instinctively took out a hand to touch the bruise.

Duncan stiffened slightly; the thought that Courtney was actually touching, no, caressing, his face like that was too much to bear.

"I think I can put some cream on it," Courtney said, examining the bruise carefully. She didn't seem to realize how close her face was to Duncan's.

"Y-yeah, you do that," Duncan stammered, feeling, for the first time, a little nervous as he felt her hot breath on his skin. Goosebumps ran up his skin.

Damn it, he was supposed to be the one seducing Courtney, not the other way around.

And what made it even sexier was that Courtney had no idea how much she was turning Duncan on. If only it wasn't for that damned sprained ankle.

Courtney reached to the first-aid kit and took out a little container that had salve in it. She popped the lid off and swiped some of the clear ointment on her fingertips.

"Hopefully, the bruise will go away with this ointment," Courtney said, gently rubbing some of the cream on Duncan's jaw. "But it should relieve the pain."

He certainly wasn't feeling any pain now, Duncan thought to himself, enjoying the cool salve against his skin. But what made it even better was the fact that Courtney was the one putting it on him.

Duncan tried his best to look straight ahead as Courtney applied the salve onto his face. His desire to just whip around and pull Courtney down into the bed with him was so strong, he could hardly hold himself back. She was so damn close to him and the bed.

Just one tug. One tiny tug.

"I'll put it on the bruises by your eye, too," Courtney said, noticing the other discolorations on Duncan's face. "Turn your head this way."

Duncan complied, and he felt his heartbeat quicken when he found himself face-to-face with Courtney.

She leaned forward and applied some of the clear goo around Duncan's eye.

Duncan inhaled sharply in pain (or faux-pain, he didn't know), and Courtney quickly pulled back.

"Are you hurting?" Courtney asked worriedly. "Did I touch you too hard?"

Duncan gave another groan. "_Augh_… Don't worry." He put on a grimace. "I'll be fine."

"I'll be as gentle as possible," Courtney promised.

"It hurts so bad," Duncan complained, looking up at Courtney meaningfully.

"This is a terrible black eye," she said, frowning as she ran a hand over his skin.

Duncan gazed up at Courtney; her face was so close to his. The smell of her perfume was intoxicating.

She was so close to him.

"There," Courtney said, straightening up. Disappointment flooded through Duncan. Already? He was sure he had more wounds than this. His chest had damage, for sure. But would Courtney tend to the bashes on his abs? Probably not.

Duncan, in a last attempt to draw in Courtney, turned his head to the other side and pointed at his cheek.

He pointed at his cheek, pouting like a child.

Courtney narrowed her eyes. "I don't see any bruises."

"Yeah, well, it still hurts," Duncan said defensively.

Courtney looked suspiciously at Duncan, but then lightly rubbed some cream on his skin all the same.

Duncan smiled to himself at Courtney's touch. Maybe getting into fights wasn't such a bad thing after all.

Courtney was still busy applying cream to Duncan's face when she asked, looking up at Duncan, "Did you get into fights like this a lot? Back at your old school?"

"What? _Fights?_ Like, all the freakin' time," Duncan scoffed.

And it was true. Duncan got into fights on a daily basis, but it was no biggie. He would always win. No one in the school could go against Duncan and come out as the victor. That was just the way it was.

Courtney frowned and poked Duncan's cheek really hard, sending his head tilting sharply to the side.

"_It's not the bullet with my name on it that worries me. It's the one that says "To whom it may concern." -Anonymous Belfast resident, quoted in __London Guardian__, 1991_

"Ow!" Duncan yelped in pain, hand flying to his already bruised cheek. "What the hell?" he demanded, leaning back to look at Courtney. She looked furious.

What did he do wrong? Duncan thought wildly. He didn't say anything particularly rude to her or anything like that.

"I don't want you in a fight, ever again," Courtney ordered, glaring down at Duncan. "And I _mean_ it."

Duncan gaped up at Courtney, for once in his life, completely speechless.

"Do you understand?" Courtney gritted out.

"I--- I guess," Duncan stammered, hand still clamped to his cheek. He looked up at Courtney again, bewildered.

What was up with this chick? One moment, she was all sweet and caring and gentle. The next, she was some crazy ass kung-fu mama. A hot one, though.

Courtney exhaled, propping her hands on her waist. "Breathe in," the brunette said to herself, "And breathe out."

"What's your problem, woman?" Duncan asked, backing away from Courtney warily.

"I'm sorry," Courtney said distractedly, rubbing her temples with her thumb and forefinger. She didn't seem to realize that her fingers still had salve on it, so that when she took her hand away, there was a glossy streak on her forehead. Duncan would've found it funny if Courtney didn't look so stressed.

Duncan looked up at Courtney, eyebrow cockily raised.

"It's just," Courtney blew out a breath. "I'm kind of… upset right now." She didn't make eye contact with Duncan. "I don't…" She hesitated.

"You don't what?" Duncan pressed, though he kept a safe distance from the girl in case she would try something else.

For the moment, he cursed his swollen ankle; he was basically helpless at the moment. If Courtney wanted to attack, he wouldn't be able to escape.

Courtney looked at Duncan, and said quietly, her voice odd, "I don't like to see you hurt like this."

Duncan stared at Courtney, unable to say anything more. He's never heard Courtney sound so vulnerable.

"When I saw you," Courtney started, her voice cracking slightly, "fighting so violently with Justin, I got scared. For the first time ever, I actually got scared." She gave a little laugh of disbelief. "I was scared for you, and I was scared _of _you."

Duncan felt his chest tighten. Courtney had been afraid of him? The thought that Courtney was afraid of him felt like a heavy weight in his chest.

That's not a good way to get with a girl, Duncan thought to himself.

"For a moment, I didn't even recognize you," said Courtney softly.

"Did you think I was some sort of monster?" Duncan asked quietly.

Courtney didn't look up at Duncan. She ran a hand through her chestnut hair. "In a way. You looked… so _frightening _when you were fighting with Justin."

Duncan laughed hollowly. "I bet I did."

"But what scared me even more was the fact that you were hurt," Courtney said stressfully. "I… I don't know. I don't know how to explain it." She started pacing the floor agitatedly. "I mean, I saw all that blood and the bruises on you, and you looked like you were about to faint, and I was just… just _terrified_."

Duncan watched Courtney intently, clinging on to her every word. This sounded suspiciously like a confession. Underneath the covers, Duncan crossed his fingers. Maybe she would say she had feelings for him.

That thought was too good to bear.

"I don't even know why I left with Justin; I wanted to be with _you_," Courtney continued, her voice troubled and restless. She didn't look at him. "All that time I was in the bathroom with Justin, I was thinking of you, and how hurt you were right now, and I would feel even worse, and it was all such a _weird _feeling. I don't know how to explain it, I've never felt anything like it before."

Duncan quickly regained his composure after the enticing words Courtney said. That was it. She had given off too many hints. They were at the perfect climax. He only had to kick this up a level.

"Courtney," Duncan said, shifting himself so that he could look at the brunette better. "Did the thought ever cross your mind that maybe, just _maybe_, you have feelings for me?"

Courtney whirled around, her eyes flashing. "I'm making myself completely vulnerable to you, and all you can do is joke about it?" she demanded in disbelief.

"I _am_ being serious, Courtney," Duncan said, his gaze steady. "Do you have feelings for me? Do you _like_ me?"

Courtney blinked, mouth open. "I…" She seemed at a loss for words.

Duncan raised an eyebrow, waiting for her response. Though his demeanor was cool, Duncan's heart was beating wildly underneath his shirt. He was so nervous right now. But he couldn't let Courtney see that.

"Duncan, this is ridiculous," Courtney said at last, regaining her ability to speak. "My concern for you had nothing romantically-linked; that's absurd."

"Is it?"

Courtney stared at him, mouth open slightly. Duncan bit on the inside of his cheek, waiting for her answer, breath bated. The entire moment hung on a little thread.

"I…" Courtney started, coming a little closer to Duncan's bed.

Duncan's heart started going faster. She was going to answer.

Her lips were already forming the words; Duncan leaned forward, holding his breath.

And then, the door to the bedroom opened with a sudden burst. Courtney jumped and looked behind her.

The thread was broken.

Duncan felt his heart drop. It was over. He had lost it.

"_Our blunders mostly come from letting our wishes interpret our duties." -Author Unknown_

The delinquent's lips were set into a snarl as he looked at the doorway, wondering who the bastard was that ruined everything. Right when she was about to tell him how she felt!

"Duncan!" It was his Uncle Robbie. Duncan felt his chest squirm in discomfort. _Damn it._

Uncle Robbie looked worried and angry at the same time as he strode towards Duncan's bed. "I heard from the classroom about the fight; dude, I can't believe that you would go out and do that right after I said---" Uncle Robbie's eyes fell on Courtney. He looked surprised. "Courtney?"

Courtney looked up at Uncle Robbie. "Oh, uh, Mr. Devlin. I… I was here to check up on Duncan."

"Oh, really?" Uncle Robbie's gaze came to the open first-aid kit. "I, uh, I see. Thank you."

"It's nothing," Courtney said, her face pink.

Duncan tilted his head to Courtney, eyes wondering.

"Courtney, are you going to stay here?" Mr. Devlin inquired, smiling down at the girl.

She spared Duncan a glance and looked away quickly. "Um, actually, I… I need to go now."

"But you just came," Duncan protested.

"My mom will be waiting for me," Courtney said, though Duncan could tell that she was lying. "I'll see you at school tomorrow, Duncan, Mr. Devlin."

"Do you need a ride home?" Uncle Robbie asked.

"No, it's all right," Courtney declined, "I can go home alone fine." And then she turned and left the room hastily.

"Courtney," Duncan called after the brunette. "Wait!"

But she was already gone.

"Tough luck, bro," Uncle Robbie said, craning his head backwards to watch Courtney disappear downstairs.

"Ugh," Duncan groaned, falling back on his pillow. "_Man._ You. Ruined. _Everything."_

"Forget about that, you have _a lot _to explain, Duncan. I have half a mind to tell on your mother. But you know I won't. Because your dad will send you back to juvie again. And we don't want that."

Duncan gave another groan.

"_It is very easy to forgive others their mistakes; it takes more grit to forgive them for having witnessed your own." -Jessamyn West_

**Courtney:**

She didn't even stop to think as she ran down the stairs and out of Duncan's house, only pausing to grab her bag that was on the sofa.

What was she about to say to Duncan? Was she actually going to say she _liked _him? That she actually had feelings for him?

What on earth was wrong with her?

It was his eyes, Courtney told herself frantically, his damned piercing sea-green eyes that made her not think clearly.

Courtney hurried down the street with no idea on where she was going. But as long as it was away from Duncan, it was fine. The farther, the better.

It was dangerous going into Duncan's room like that, being so close to him, touching him like that. She never should've done that. It was obvious Duncan would try something with her.

"Augh!" Courtney gave a frustrated shout as she reached a dead-end cul-de-sac of houses. How was she going to get home?

She didn't want to see Geoff right now; it was his entire fault she had to be alone with Duncan in that suffocating room.

Neither Bridgette or Gwen had their own car. Her brother, James, was at his swim meet right now. Her mother was still at work.

And she had no idea how to get home.

Courtney took out her phone and checked over her contacts, looking for a person who knew Duncan. DJ probably knew where Duncan lived.

Courtney dialed in his number, but no one answered.

"Damn it."

She called anyone who knew and spoke with Duncan. Trent, Leshawna, and even went as far as Lindsay. All were either busy, or they didn't pick up the phone.

So she searched some more on her contact list. Then she came upon the name Heather.

Heather might know where Duncan lived; she knew where everyone lived. It was worth a shot.

And even though Heather was the last person Courtney wanted help from, she really had no other choice left. How else would she get home?

Of course, there was still Geoff. But Courtney was as stubborn as she was desperate. She did _not _want to speak with Geoff right now. That dumb hillbilly would never set her up, ever again.

Courtney pressed TALK. The phone rang a couple of times.

"Hello?" came that recognizable voice.

How funny, Courtney realized, that only Heather would ever pick up her phone when no one else would.

"Heather, it's me. Courtney," Courtney said a little hesitantly.

"Oh, Courtney!" Heather sounded delighted. "What could you want from me?"

"Um…" Courtney was suddenly reminded of that day not too long ago when she phoned Heather to help her. Talk about déjà vu. "Would you mind driving me home? If you're not busy?"

"Of course I wouldn't mind," Heather answered, sounding sugary sweet. "Where are you?"

"I'm…" Courtney blew out a breath. "I'm in Duncan's neighborhood."

There was a slight silence on the other end. Finally, Heather spoke up, sounding a little hesitant. "…_Duncan's_?"

"Yes."

"What are you doing over there, anyway?" Heather asked without preamble. "Don't tell me it's because of his fight with Justin."

"You know about it?" Courtney asked in surprise, though she realized it was stupid of her to ask so.

Heather knew_ everything_ that happened in the school.

"Duh. Who doesn't? All of the class was talking about it. Actually, I have some respect for Duncan now after the fight. Seems like he's not just a bad boy wanna-be."

"Oh."

"Well, whatever. You can tell me everything when I come to pick you up," Heather said crisply.

"You know where Duncan lives?" Courtney asked.

"Unfortunately. Geoff dropped by his house once when he was giving me a ride home. I'm pretty sure I remember the route he took."

"Great. I'll be waiting by the entrance."

"All right. I'll be there in about, mm, ten minutes," Heather said. "Bye."

"Bye."

Courtney hung up the phone and frowned. She wasn't sure if Heather was the best person to ask when it came to this. But if anything, Heather would know what to do if she was in Courtney's current situation.

Because, once it came down to it, Heather knew everything.

"_Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile, or the light won't come in." -Alan Alda_

Courtney was waiting at the entrance of Duncan's neighborhood when she saw Heather's convertible drive up.

"Hey," Heather said, glancing up at Courtney. Today, Heather had her long hair tied up into a low ponytail, and she wore a pretty floaty pink top. The oversized shades that she wore had D&G emblazoned on the sides. "Get in."

Courtney obliged and turned to Heather, saying thankfully, "Thanks for picking me up. I really didn't know how I'd get home."

Though she attempted to sound cheerful, she was weighed down by the fact that, inevitably, she would be interrogated by Heather on account of Duncan.

"That's fine; I was shopping at the mall close around here." Obviously. "By the way, I found the_ cutest _pair of Manolo Blahnik heels there that I think you will _absolutely_ love, Courtney. I bought a pair; I'll show it to you later." She started the car down the road.

Courtney was surprised. She had expected Heather to immediately berate her with questions concerning Duncan the moment they met.

A crazy thought entered Courtney's mind. Was Heather actually being… _considerate? _Did she know that Duncan's fight really bothered and upset Courtney?

"And," Heather continued, apparently oblivious to Courtney's mental struggle, "I know how much you like Chanel, and then I saw this new spring line out, and it was absolutely gorgeous! There was this one pink bag---"

"Why aren't you asking me anything?" Courtney cut in quietly, looking at the raven-haired beauty.

Heather stopped talking for a moment and glanced at Courtney, frowning. Her eyes were hidden behind the dark shades, but Courtney knew what they looked like.

"What do you mean?"

"You're not asking me anything about Duncan's fight."

Heather raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow. "You sounded upset on the phone, so obviously, you don't want to talk about it. So I thought---"

"I didn't think that would have stopped you." Courtney's voice was steady.

"Well, you're right, it wouldn't have stopped me under normal circumstances," Heather answered simply, shrugging. Her long black ponytail blew elegantly in the wind. "But you know what, Courtney? I actually like and respect you." She sounded cool and easy when she said that.

Courtney blinked. Heather actually_ respected_ her? From what she knew, Heather respected and liked no one, not even Lindsey.

"I mean, I'm kind of surprised myself, how much I admire and respect you," Heather continued. "But I do, and that's that."

"T-thank you," Courtney managed.

"I suppose you could say I'm being considerate," Heather said coolly, like as if she was reading Courtney's mind. "Towards your feelings, that is. So I won't ask you anything about Duncan's fight. And there's always Geoff that I can ask, so it doesn't really matter, anyway." Heather smiled ruefully at Courtney.

Courtney smiled back gratefully. She didn't know what else she could say to Heather.

They drove on in silence for a while.

"I never knew you respected me," Courtney said after a moment.

"Hm, really? That's surprising." Heather stopped at a red light. "I've always respected you. Since middle school."

Even back then, Heather had been the queen bee.

"Middle school?" Courtney repeated. "What did I do to earn something as big as your respect?"

Heather laughed. Her laugh was, for once, not scornful and derisive. In fact, it sounded rather nice when it was sincere.

"I don't think you would remember. But there was that one time in seventh grade when you stood up to Eva."

Courtney paused to think. And then she remembered. That incident with Eva. Eva was the classic bully that terrified both the boys and girls in middle school and now in even high school.

"Eva had cut in front of you at the lunch line. Do you remember?"

"I do," Courtney said, smiling slightly.

She was very hungry on that certain day, as she did not have breakfast. Eva had cut in front of her at the lunch line. She always did cut in front of kids when it came to the lunch line, so it was nothing special. But Courtney was cranky on that day. Not only had she gotten a B- on that history test, but she had also forgotten to bring her math homework.

When Eva cut in front of her, Courtney exploded.

In front of everyone, Courtney had pushed Eva back out of the line, saying that she was already here first. Eva had gotten furious. Back then, she was bigger and stronger than even the eighth graders, so it was terrifying to have her look down on you.

Courtney vaguely remembered shouting at Eva. When Eva grabbed Courtney by the collar and threw her to the floor, Courtney just sprung back up and pushed Eva out of the way. Eventually, Eva got sent to the back of the line by a rather nervous teacher.

Unfortunately, so did Courtney, as she had pushed Eva. But everyone clapped for Courtney as she walked past them to the end of the line with her head held high with dignity.

She didn't know Heather had been watching.

"I was amazed," Heather said, going forward as the light turned green. "I mean, _Eva_. She was so terrifying, and admittedly, she still is, with her nasty uni-brow and gross hair. Even I was scared of her back then. So when you stood up to her, I really respected you. I have ever since."

"I didn't know something as far back as seventh grade can still give me your respect," Courtney said, though she was pleased.

"Oh, it's not just that," Heather said. "I mean, I also respect you because you have _such_ fashion sense. I mean, I admit, you're even more fashionable than I am."

Courtney blinked, and then laughed a little. "Thank you."

"And then there's the way that you're always so confident and self-assured," Heather continued. "I mean, there's not many people in the school like you."

Courtney was surprised. Heather herself was just as confident and self-assured. Though, of course, it probably came off in a bad way.

But as of right now, Heather was actually showing a side of her that wasn't vicious and mean. Courtney wondered why Heather didn't act like this towards other people more often; she would be so much more well-liked.

They drove on in comfortable silence.

And then, something popped into Courtney's mind.

_Heather knows everything,_ that voice said quietly. _She would know. _

"Heather, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

Courtney chose her words carefully, trying to meld them in such a way that Heather would not figure out its true intention. "Do you think that when you like someone… that there should be a reason for it?"

Heather glanced at Courtney, raising an eyebrow. "Is this supposed to be a trick question?"

Courtney shook her head.

Heather frowned, thinking, and for a moment, all that could be heard was the sound of the wind blowing through their hair, and the hums of other cars passing by.

"Well, for me personally, I'd say it's different," Heather said after a while, making a left turn. Courtney recognized the street and realized they were coming close to her neighborhood. "I like guys for their looks, their money, their fashion sense… You know, that superficial stuff."

Heather didn't seem embarrassed to admit that shallow fact about her. "I don't really think about personality, nor do I care about it. Probably because I've never actually _really _liked a guy."

Courtney nodded, looking at Heather intently.

"But if you're asking me on the whole," Heather continued, speaking slowly, "then I think that when you really like a person, there should be no reason for it."

Courtney frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"

Heather shrugged. "I don't know. Like, if you look at Leshawna and Harold. I mean, I see absolutely no correlation in that. What could someone like Leshawna possibly see in that geek, Harold?"

Courtney nodded slowly. "Right."

"But they still like each other anyway, right? It's really weird and creepy. But it kind of makes sense, don't you think? When it comes to love or something silly like that, there is no such thing as 'reason', is there? At least,_ I_ don't think so."

The car slowly came to a stop and Courtney realized that they had stopped in front of her house.

"I see," Courtney said, not moving from her seat.

"So I guess that answers your question?" Heather asked, raising an eyebrow.

Courtney nodded. "Yes. It did. Thanks." She opened the car door. "And thanks for the ride, Heather."

"It was nothing," Heather replied.

Courtney turned to leave. Then she paused and turned back around. "You know, Heather, we should go to the mall one day. Just hang out. Buy shoes and stuff."

Heather looked surprised at Courtney's suggestion. Courtney was surprised herself. But somehow, it felt like the right thing to ask.

"We should," Heather said, her eyes crinkling as her rosy lips curved into what seemed like her first true smile. It was the first time Courtney saw Heather smile like that, and she was taken aback by how friendly and innocent the raven-haired beauty seemed. It was so different from her usual sneer and scowls.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Courtney said, waving goodbye as she walked up the steps to her house. "Bye,

Heather."

"Bye." Heather backed out of the neighborhood, looking stunning with her gleaming red convertible and oversized shades.

Courtney opened the door to her home and walked in wearily, kicking off her pumps.

She was exhausted.

Without further ado, the brunette dragged herself to the living room and fell into her favorite plush chintz armchair. She felt dull and lost.

Heather's words were still ringing in her ears.

"_But it kind of makes sense, don't you think? When it comes to love or something silly like that, there is no such thing as 'reason', is there?"_

If that was true, then Courtney was doomed. For there was no logical reason for her to have feelings for Duncan and every illogical reason in the world for her to feel them anyway.

Or, Courtney thought hopefully, maybe it could just be a silly little crush.

But as far as Courtney knew, the feelings she had for certain men were never silly, and they were never little.

"_It is sad not to love, but it is much sadder not to be able to love." –Miguel de Unamuno_

**A/N: Okay. So I didn't really hold up on my two-week chapter update promise. Sorry? So, I've decided. Heather is not a bad guy. In fact, she's just misunderstoodxD Anyway, we're coming very near to the climax of this story. The meeting with Kristian is coming, and then there's still the wedding. By the way, what has been happening in the Mann household? I wonder. **

**Some people have been asking me how many chapters there are left in this fanfiction. To be completely honest, I'm not sure. It could be anywhere from five chapters to twenty. Not really twenty, but you get my drift. I know this is really bad for me to do, but I've been winging this story, just writing out what comes to mind, so I really don't know how many chapters there are left in this story. Sorry, guys. **

**Anyway, you can expect another confrontation with D and C in the next chapter. Something big might happen. *hint hint* So, read and review. I can't promise quicker updates, what with me back in school and all, but please keep on reading YDYD! Read & Review! **

_**ATTENTION, PLEASE!! A question for the Korean Industry fans out there! **_**(if you don't care about the Korean entertainment media, then please just skip over this.)**

**Does anyone know when Big Bang's Seungri and T.O.P's movie drama 19 will be available? Or when T.O.P and Kim Tae-Hee's Korean drama, IRIS, will air? Do any of you guys even know what I'm talking about? If you DO, **_**please**_** tell me. I'm sick of waiting and wondering~! **

**By the way… is it just me, or does the leading actress in 19 (Yeo Hi Jae, I think?) have a **_**seriously**_** funky thing going on with her cheekbones? She looks like as if she's forty! I mean, the girl didn't look **_**that **_**bad in Goong S with Se7en. Kinda kills the excitement of 19, with such a disappointing lead actress. I was sorta-kinda, hoping for Park Shin-Hye or Sandara Park to get that role. **

**And, oh my god. Who here thinks G-Dragon's solo album **_**Heartbreaker **_**totally rocked? I loved **_**Station One Year**_** and **_**Hello ft. Dara**_**. If you haven't heard his songs, LISTEN to it! Like, NOW. I'm not digging his bleached blonde hair, though. **


	21. The Beginnings of a Chance Meeting

**Chapter 21: The Beginnings of a Chance Meeting**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TDI. In fact, I haven't even seen it in a really, really, **_**really **_**long time. Makes me kinda sad. **

"_No man is sane who does not how to be insane on proper occasions." –Henry Ward Beecher_

**Duncan:**

He couldn't torture himself anymore than he already had.

For the past half hour, he had run over his mind at least a thousand times what Courtney could've possibly wanted to say.

I like you? I love you? I do _care_ for you?

Damn it.

What killed him was the fact that her mouth was already freakin' forming the words. He could practically see it on her lips.

But then his uncle had to walk in. He just _had _to.

Duncan stared up at the ceiling. Huh. The maroon paint was fading a little now. He should ask his mother if he could repaint his room. Black would be a nice color. Maybe throw some green in there.

"…and I just can't believe that you would go and--- Duncan, are you even listening to me?" Uncle Robbie demanded.

Duncan lazily looked at his uncle. "Not really."

His uncle was in his lecture mode. That was usually Duncan's cue to tune out.

"I don't believe you. Duncan, I'm being serious here. What will happen when the principal finds out? You'll get kicked out! And after all your mother went through to get you accepted at Independence!"

Duncan felt a little twinge of guilt now. His mother had gone through endless paperwork and everything just to get him into prestigious Independence. She believed that if she put Duncan into a good school, then he would be influenced for the better.

Her plan failed, of course. But still. She went through a lot of trouble for him.

"Look, man," Duncan said, resting his hand over his eyes. "I don't think the principal will know about it."

"And why not? All the kids in my class were talking about it!"

"I don't think that any _teachers _would know about it. I mean, the librarian saw the fight, yeah. But I don't think she caught our faces. And no teachers were around."

"I'm sure the teachers will know about it now, if the students talk about it the way that they did in my class," Uncle Robbie said angrily. "What will happen if you get expelled?"

Duncan groaned a little. Damn it.

"Yeah, that's right. Think about that," Uncle Robbie said.

So now it was kind of setting in. A little bit. The possibility that he might just get kicked out of school for fighting was starting to become a little probable.

It _could _happen. It was possible.

The only good thing that he could say about this was that whatever punishment he got, Justin would get the same.

Hopefully.

But that wasn't enough. For the first time, Duncan realized that he didn't want to get kicked out of this school. All the other schools that he was expelled from, he didn't care either way. But this school, he wanted to stay here. Here, he had real friends. He had Courtney.

"I'm screwed," Duncan said, sitting up as he finally realized the importance of what he had just done. "I did try, man. I tried my best."

Uncle Robbie looked at Duncan, a bit of sympathy on his face. "I know."

"If I get kicked out for this, Mom will be so angry with me," Duncan said, running a hand through his hair. "Dad will send me to juvie again."

"Look." Uncle Robbie rested his hand on Duncan's knee. His touch made Duncan feel a little more secure. "I'm not saying that fighting Justin was the smartest thing you've done. And you know you don't do a lot of smart things."

"I know."

"But I'm going to try my best to keep this fight a secret from everyone. And if the principal does find out, I'm going to do my best to convince him to let you stay."

Duncan looked up at his uncle gratefully. "…Thanks, man. You're the best."

"I would think so, too, considering the trouble I'm going to go through for you." He smiled a little and touched knuckles with Duncan.

"What about my mom?" Duncan asked a little tentatively. He wasn't afraid of no principal or board of supervisors or whatever. But his mother, his mother was a different force of nature.

Uncle Robbie winced a little at the mention of the fiery Italian woman. "I don't know. She's really quick. She'll know you've been in a fight."

"I could say I fell off my motorcycle."

"You can't get a black eye from falling off your motorcycle. Your mom would know that."

"Well, you're her brother," Duncan said meaningfully. "You should know something that she would fall for."

"I really don't know, dude," Uncle Robbie said slowly. "I really don't." He shrugged. "I guess you're just gonna have to own up to it."

"Are you crazy? My mom will kick my ass!" Duncan cried.

"The only advice I can give you is... well, tell the truth," he ended feebly.

Duncan frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Tell her why you fought Justin. I'm sure she'll understand," Uncle Robbie said seriously. "I mean, it was for a pretty romantic reason."

"I thought you said you wouldn't make fun of me," Duncan said heatedly. When Uncle Robbie first heard that Duncan had fought over Courtney, he didn't believe it.

Probably because it was so unlike Duncan to fight over a girl. And in a way, it was true.

The Duncan who went to bad schools would never fight over a girl. He would fight because he wanted to. Maybe because the guy pissed him off. Maybe he pissed the guy off. It varied. But never once did he think he would fight over something as ridiculous as a girl, for god's sake.

But Uncle Robbie knew how it was for Duncan when it came to Courtney. He didn't get so angry with his nephew after he understood why the fight took place.

Duncan supposed Uncle Robbie himself had a weakness for love stories.

"I'm serious," Uncle Robbie said. "Look, I know my sister, all right? She's a girl with soft spots like every other woman; they fall for corny stuff, like men getting into fights in the name of love."

Duncan gagged. "Don't ever say that, ever again. I swear."

"But that's what really happened. Just tell your mom that. She'll understand, I'm sure."

Duncan looked at Uncle Robbie disbelievingly. "You're sure?"

"Well… 75% sure. Depends on how she feels. Has she been watching those dramas lately?"

"Yeah."

Uncle Robbie nodded. "Okay, then I'm sure she will forgive you. What about your father?"

"With Dad, I can manage on my own," Duncan said confidently. "I mean, I can take anything he'll give me, as long as he doesn't send me to juvie again."

"I hope he doesn't."

Duncan wasn't very worried about his father; his mother was the real obstacle. But if what Uncle Robbie said was true, then his mother would forgive him.

"It's all gonna work out," Duncan said, falling back onto his pillow. He winced a little as his back made rough contact with the bed.

"Aahh," he hissed in pain, arching his back a little. "Ow. I forgot that I have bruises there."

Uncle Robbie sighed. "I don't get it."

"Get what?" Duncan asked distractedly, gingerly lying back onto the bed, making sure to be slow and steady this time.

"You always beat up the guy in fights. And you usually get away with nothing more than just maybe a bruise or two." Uncle Robbie looked intently at Duncan. "But this time, I mean, you look like crap."

"Look, just keep in mind that I won in the end," Duncan pointed out.

Geoff had to practically pull him off Justin. And from what he saw, Justin looked pretty crappy.

"I know you did. I'd be disappointed if you didn't. But, I mean… you sustained some pretty nasty wounds."

Uncle Robbie's eyes ran over the scratches and bruises on Duncan's face.

"Man, you have no idea how strong Justin is," Duncan said defensively. "I mean, I seriously underestimated him. He can fight."

"I would never have thought that about Justin."

"I didn't either," Duncan said bitterly. "I guess I was caught off-guard when I saw how well Justin fought."

"It's understandable."

"I mean, eight years of taekwondo should've given me a huge advantage over Justin," Duncan said, frowning now. "I'm a freakin' second-degree black belt. I beat all my competitors in that boxing competition. And even in taekwondo."

His eyes flicked to the large first-place trophies that sat on his desk. "By logic alone, I should've won in an instant."

"Justin's a hardcore swimmer. He's fast. Probably just as fast as you. You guys match up evenly," Uncle Robbie said thoughtfully. "Justin's a tough dude despite his looks."

"He makes me sick."

"I would think so, too."

"I hate him. I really _hate _him." Duncan emphasized that four-letter word with vehemence. There was no other way he could express how much he hated Justin.

Uncle Robbie nodded.

Duncan rubbed his face in frustration. "You don't think I'm getting soft, do you?" he asked, his voice muffled by his hands.

Uncle Robbie looked amused. "Not at all. Actually, I think you admitting to your feelings like this only makes you manlier."

"Thank you," Duncan said sarcastically.

"No problem."

Downstairs, the door opened and the click of high heels came. Duncan stiffened; he knew those sounds anywhere.

"It's Mom," Duncan said, his voice halting slightly.

"Look, man, just do what I told you. Own up to it, don't deny," Uncle Robbie said, holding Duncan's shoulder confidently.

"Duncan, are you home?" Mrs. Mariano called from downstairs.

"Y-yeah," Duncan shouted back, flashing a terrified glance at his uncle. "Uncle Robbie's here, too."

"Oh, really?" Mrs. Mariano asked. Duncan heard her soft footsteps head into the kitchen.

Uncle Robbie stood up.

"Dude, where are you going?" Duncan hissed.

"I'm going to try and make the judgment softer for you," Uncle Robbie said bravely. "I'm gonna explain to your mother what happened to you, so that when she comes up here, she won't be so angry."

"You're going to do that for me?" Duncan asked, becoming emotional. His mother had a terrible habit of taking her anger out on the first person who brought her bad news, regardless of the fact whether or not they were involved in at all.

"I'm here for you, man," Uncle Robbie said tightly, walking out of the bedroom. "Pray for me."

"I will," Duncan promised, leaning out of his bed to watch his uncle descend down the stairs.

"Uh, Camilla?" Duncan heard his uncle say hesitantly. "I have something to tell you…" and then his voice trailed off.

Duncan shrunk into his pillow, praying for his uncle.

He had been into numerous fights before, and his mother always yelled at him furiously. But he was never scared. So why was he now?

Maybe it was because of the fact that his mother thought that Duncan was off fighting for good. Before he could think of any more plausible reasons, however, he heard the sharp screech of his mother's voice.

"What? Fight? I thought this was over with! What are you doing anyway, letting him get into a fight like that?"

"Camilla, calm down," Duncan heard Uncle Robbie said desperately.

"No, don't tell me to calm down!" his mother said furiously, "I'm going to go up there and give him a piece of my mind! I go through _hell _to get him into your school, and he gets into a fight! What will I do if he gets expelled? All those hours of paperwork, transferring, and then he goes and does _this_!" He heard her stomping up the stairs. And then, in Italian, _"__Io vado a calci il suo culo!"_

Which roughly translated to: I'm going to kick his ass.

Duncan blanched. Oh, god. She was mad.

He heard Uncle Robbie following hastily behind, trying to pull her back.

"Now, look, Camilla," Uncle Robbie said, trying to soothe his sister. "Don't be too harsh with him; he's already beat up pretty bad---"

"What?" Mrs. Mariano paused. "Beat up? What do you mean?"

Apparently, she didn't know her son was hurt.

Uncle Robbie's voice dropped to a whisper, and from what he could tell from the receding footsteps, Uncle Robbie had managed to pull his mother back downstairs, where he could, hopefully, explain the whole entire thing.

Moments later, the door to Duncan's bedroom opened slowly.

Duncan tried to slump lower into his bed to feign weakness.

Mrs. Mariano stepped into the room quietly. Uncle Robbie was not with her.

"_Mi dispiace, mamma," _Duncan said at once, hoping that apologizing in Italian could help calm his mother down. It always worked with Grandma, anyway.

Mrs. Mariano gazed at her son, eyes cutting.

"Ma, I'm sorry, I really am," Duncan said earnestly, not knowing what else he could say to his mother. "I didn't mean to get into a fight."

"I know. I know how hard you've been trying." Mrs. Mariano sat down on the edge of Duncan's bed, her hand resting on his knee.

He felt reassured with her motherly touch. Maybe she wasn't mad at him anymore?

"So you're not… you're not going to punish me?" Duncan asked tentatively.

Mrs. Mariano shook her head, her eyes roving over her son's bruises. "You're already punished enough; look at you." She tsked. "The size of that bruise, I swear."

She leaned back, still looking at Duncan.

Mrs. Mariano shook her head from side to side slightly and sighed, more to herself than anything. _"__Che cosa posso fare per te?"_ she asked sadly.

"I don't know what you can do with me now," Duncan said, shrugging. "It's a bit too late for anything." He gave his mother a little grin to show that he was kidding.

Mrs. Mariano narrowed her eyes and Duncan obediently fell silent.

He waited patiently for his mother to mention Courtney, or anything about the fight. But she didn't.

Mrs. Mariano leaned forward and brushed a little cut on Duncan's jaw. "Someone already cleaned you up," she said, noting the balm that was already smeared on Duncan's wounds.

"Courtney. She visited me just a while ago."

"Ah. Too bad I missed her."

Duncan watched his mother carefully for a reaction, but there was none. Did Uncle Robbie even tell his mother the true story of the fight?

"You're not… going to ask me about the fight? About Courtney?" Duncan asked hesitantly.

"I already know everything," Mrs. Mariano said lightly, playing with Duncan's bedcovers. She looked at Duncan, and her red lips curved into a smile. "I'm so proud of you."

"You… you are?" Duncan asked, bewildered. "I mean… You are?"

"I am."

"Ma," Duncan said emotionally, almost tearing up with joy at the thought of his mother letting him off the hook.

"But that doesn't mean I approve of you getting into fights," Mrs. Mariano said sternly, pursing her lips. "And I thought you'd have known better, being in a good school like Independence. Let's just hope that they don't kick you out."

"Otherwise it's back to juvie?" Duncan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That depends on how I feel," Mrs. Mariano said, though she was smiling.

"You'll talk to Dad for me, right?" Duncan asked, looking up at his mother.

"Yes." She looked down at her son, smiling.

Duncan was a little disconcerted at the way his mother was smiling down at him so proudly. "Mom," he said, sounding a little pained, "You won't go on about this much longer, will you?"

"Well, it's just so sweet," Mrs. Mariano said defensively. "I didn't know you had the emotional capacity to do something like this."

Duncan looked at his mother, clearly affronted.

"Actually, I knew," Mrs. Mariano admitted. "I was just wondering when it would emerge." She patted her son's head fondly. "You rest then. I'll be downstairs."

She got up and started to open the door again. But then she paused, hand on the doorknob.

Duncan watched her curiously.

"If you get into one more fight, however," she said, her tone threatening, "I swear, you'll be sent back to juvie. I'm only letting you go easy this time because of the special circumstances that Robert explained to me."

"I got ya, Ma," Duncan said, pointing his thumb and index finger at his mother and winking. "No more roughhousing."

Mrs. Mariano smiled slightly and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Not a moment passed before Uncle Robbie poked his head in. Clearly, he had been waiting outside.

Uncle Robbie grinned and gave his nephew a thumbs-up.

Duncan grinned back.

"_What would men be without women? Scarce, sir, mighty scarce." –Mark Twain_

**Courtney:**

Duncan was staring at her again. Courtney squared her shoulders and looked intently at the teacher.

She couldn't seem to face him, not after the horrifying revelation she had come to yesterday.

She couldn't _possibly_, not even in her wildest dreams, but there she was---

No. Courtney shook her head. Don't even go there.

Courtney couldn't stop her hand from trembling.

She looked up slightly, just through her light bangs. Was he still staring at her?

Well, she couldn't really be sure, not when he was wearing those large oversized shades to, presumably, hide his bruises. But his head was tilted in her direction. And from behind the tinted lens, she could make out his teal eyes gazing at her intently.

Courtney felt a shiver as she thought that maybe, just maybe, Duncan understood what she was about to say when they were alone in his room. Maybe he knew.

When she looked back at Duncan, he was grinning with Trent, who sat next to him.

"_No one is more arrogant toward women, more aggressive or scornful, than the man who is anxious about his virility." –Simone de Beauvoir_

**Duncan:**

The moment class was let out, he rushed after Courtney, who, strangely, seemed to leave twice as fast as usual.

Was she avoiding him?

"Hey, wait up," Duncan said, grabbing at Courtney's wrist before she could disappear into the crowd.

Courtney turned around, her green eyes sharp.

Duncan slowed down, gazing at Courtney. He still held onto her wrist. Subconsciously, he marveled at how tiny her wrist was. His whole entire hand circled it perfectly.

"What is it?" Courtney asked after a moment, pulling her wrist out of his grip.

Duncan shoved his hands into his jean pockets. Suddenly, he didn't know what it was he wanted to say to her anymore.

"I want to talk to you about something," Duncan started.

Courtney blanched a little. Or was it just a trick of the eye?

But any unease she showed disappeared as quickly as it came.

"Well, can we talk about it later? I can't be late to my next period," she briskly said, pointing at her gleaming diamond watch.

She turned to leave, but Duncan reached out and pulled her back.

"It won't kill you to spare me a few moments," he said. "I want to ask you about yesterday."

Courtney twitched. She didn't meet his eyes as she stammered, attempting to sound nonchalant, "What--- what about yesterday?"

Duncan gazed at Courtney, waiting until she finally looked up at him. "You were about to say something to me. Before Uncle Robbie came in."

She paused for a moment. Her expression was a little panicky, and Duncan felt a slight pull of triumph.

For sure now, she would confess.

But instead, a sort of mask slipped over Courtney's visage, and her features relaxed, cool and composed.

"No, I wasn't. I was simply going to tell you that you were being stupid, asking something silly like that."

She sounded cold.

Duncan stared down at Courtney. "No, you weren't. You were going to say something else, Courtney." He struggled to keep his tone even.

"You're---you're ridiculous," stammered Courtney, quailing under Duncan's gaze. "I don't know what on earth you thought I would say. I have to go." She turned to leave.

Duncan reached out and pulled her back. This would be the last time he would do so.

"Courtney. This is the last time I'll ask you." For some odd reason, his voice came out quiet and calm, so different from how he felt inside. "You really weren't going to tell me something yesterday? There was absolutely nothing of importance that you wanted to say?"

Courtney paused for a moment. She seemed to be struggling with herself.

"I---" Courtney shook her head, wriggling her wrist out of his grasp. "There's nothing I had to say. I have to go, Duncan."

She hurried away, disappearing in the crowd of students.

Duncan slapped his forehead, turning on his heel.

God _damn _it!

"_I want to swim away, but don't know how. Sometimes it feels just like I'm falling in the ocean." –Blue October (Into the Ocean)_

**Courtney:**

She hurried down the hall, her heart beating in rapid staccatos. It was unbelievable, what Duncan had just done to her. Had he caught on what she had wanted to say yesterday?

_No, no, he couldn't have_, Courtney said, shaking her head. _No, no. _

But then there was a tiny feeling of regret in her chest. Just a tiny feeling that maybe she shouldn't have been so cold to him.

There was something in the way that Duncan spoke to her that made her feel like as if, for once, he was being serious.

Courtney shook off that thought. Duncan could never be serious. It just wasn't like him.

"Courtney," called a voice from behind.

Courtney turned around and found herself face-to-face with Kristina.

"Kristina," Courtney said blankly.

She hadn't spoken to Kristina for a long time; the last time they actually did was when they had dinner at Nancy's house a while ago.

Kristina offered Courtney a tiny smile.

Courtney still couldn't quite get over how stunning Kristina looked on a daily basis. Despite the fact that she only wore an oversized t-shirt, faded skinny jeans and gladiator heels, she looked like as if she had just walked off of the cover of a magazine.

Even her hair, which was simply tied up into a loose bun, looked fashionably tousled.

It irked Courtney that someone could look so glamorous and real at the same time.

"I haven't talked to you in a while," Courtney said at last.

"Did feel like a while, huh?" Kristina responded. Her eyes held Courtney's coolly. "I wanted to ask you something." Kristina tugged at her shirt awkwardly. "I'll walk with you to class."

"Oh. All right. My class's this way." Courtney started to head to the right. Kristina followed.

"So what did you want to ask me?" Courtney asked curiously. Kristina looked awfully serious.

"It's about Justin," Kristina started slowly.

Courtney pretended to look unfazed.

"He came home yesterday looking like a mess. Bruises everywhere," Kristina said, her brow creasing. "He wouldn't tell me anything, but I _know _he's been in a fight."

"Well, what did your parents do?" Courtney asked, feeling odd to refer to her father as Kristina's parent. "Surely they must've said something."

"Justin only came home for a bit to grab some stuff," Kristina said, frowning. "I mean, he told me to tell our parents that he'd be sleeping over at a friend's house for a few days. And he made me promise to not tell Mom or Dad anything about him being hurt."

Justin was actually going down that road? Avoiding his parents until the bruises healed?

Well, Justin only had a bruise on his cheek; it would heal in a few days or so, Courtney thought rationally. The rest of the damage was on his body.

"But that's not what I want to know," Kristina said, turning to Courtney. "I know you're good friends with Justin; he always mentions you at home."

Courtney blinked.

"You should know who he had a fight with," Kristina insisted. "It's_ so_ irritating. Everyone seems to know about the fight in my class, but no one really knows _who _was in the fight."

Kristina absentmindedly tugged on Courtney's elbow. "If you know, will you please tell me?"

"Of course I wouldn't know about this, Kristina," Courtney said, lying profusely. "I don't think Justin would tell me who he fought with, anyway."

"Really?" Kristina's cool blue eyes were persistent. "Look, if you know---"

"Yes, I'm sure," Courtney said steadily, keeping her eyes level with Kristina. "Don't worry, Kristina. I'm sure he'll tell you sooner or later."

"Right." Kristina tugged at her leather bag. "Right."

Her eyes watched the classmates passing by. "It's just a little bit frustrating that Justin wouldn't tell me. I mean, I'm sure you and James tell each other _everything_; you guys seem so close."

Courtney shrugged. "Well, I never really analyzed our relationship, but---"

"You _are _close," Kristina persisted. "And to be honest, I'm a little bit jealous," she continued, still carefully watching her surroundings.

She didn't meet Courtney's eyes.

"People always think that Justin and I are so close for some stupid reason. Like we always understand each other. Me and him, we have absolutely nothing in common. It's not that we hate each other's guts or anything," Kristina hastily added. "We don't. We get along fine. But, you know." She shrugged. "It's not like as if we're the best of siblings."

Courtney suddenly felt guilty inside; she had assumed that they were. It really wasn't anyone's fault. Kristina and Justin were so alike in looks and personality, that it was a little disconcerting to think of them as complete polar opposites. Courtney never imagined that Kristina might be a bit distant from her older brother.

"It's kind of disappointing, really, that we can't live up to people's expectations," Kristina said blithely. "But my brother is my brother, whether I like it or not."

She paused a little and checked the Harajuku watch she had strapped onto her wrist. "I guess I should go."

"You should; there's only a few minutes left 'till the bell rings," Courtney said, turning to leave.

"Oh, wait, I almost forgot," Kristina said. "My mom and dad want to invite you and James to dinner again this weekend. Dad was going to call later this week, but I just decided to tell you now."

She offered Courtney a smile. "I'll see you later."

Courtney nodded. "All right. Bye."

Another dinner with her father and Nancy.

Oddly enough, she wasn't so bitter about it anymore.

"_He killed off his senses, he killed off his memory, he slipped from his Self to enter a thousand new shapes--- was animal, was cadaver, was stone, was wood, was water---and each time he awakened he found himself once more." –Siddhartha (Herman Hesse)_

**Duncan:**

He was still fuming about it when he walked into class.

Trent hastily moved out of Duncan's seat (he was in it to talk to Gwen, who sat besides Duncan) as the delinquent came near. A black aura seemed to surround him.

"Dude, what's got you?" Trent asked, looking slightly alarmed as Duncan slammed his backpack onto the desk.

"Yeah, Mariano, what's your deal?" Gwen asked, propping her chin in her palm and peering interestedly at Duncan, trying to decipher the bruises through his sunglasses.

"None of your business."

"Ooooh, someone's P.O'd," Gwen said, rolling her eyes.

"Majorly P.O'd," Trent added, leaving to the other side of the room where his seat was.

Gwen leaned over to Duncan again. He fixed his shades.

"Hey, what's with this?" Gwen asked, tapping on the plastic. "Thought bad boys like you wore bruises with pride," she said sarcastically. "You know. Like battle scars."

"Yeah, well, not when it's all over your face," Duncan said bluntly.

"Okay, whatever," Gwen said, holding up her hands in surrender. "No need to be such a girl about it."

"Who's bein' a girl about it?" Duncan demanded.

Gwen was a girl that Duncan could get along with either extremely well or extremely badly. There was never a middle ground. It depended on the weather, probably.

The door opened and Kristina walked in. Immediately, a couple classmates greeted the girl enthusiastically.

"Oh, look. It's _her," _Gwen said a little sourly, eyeing the way Trent waved a little too enthusiastically to Kristina.

She frowned, her eyebrows furrowing together. "Little Miss Perfect."

"Don't be jealous," Duncan said dismissively, and Gwen scoffed. He leaned back in his seat, hands in pocket.

He wondered vaguely if Kristina could possibly be angry with him. He _had_ flaked off on her for two 'dates'. And they never really talked to each other after he ran off without treating her to lunch.

Okay. So the chick had every right to be mad at him.

Much to Duncan's surprise, Kristina walked up to Duncan's desk.

Duncan looked up at Kristina, who looked down at him coolly with her blue eyes.

"Whoa, what is this?" Gwen asked interestedly.

Duncan felt a little uncomfortable; he felt inferior to Kristina looking up at her like this. So he straightened up from his slouch.

There. That was much better. Duncan, at five feet, eleven inches easily dwarfed five feet six Kristina. And that was her with heels.

"Hey," Kristina said.

"Hey." Duncan cleared his throat. "Um, you know--- I never really did get to treat you to that… lunch."

"No, you didn't."

"Yeah." Duncan awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "I'm… well, I didn't mean to---you know."

"It's fine. You can make up for it," Kristina said simply. "Why don't we go out for a movie this weekend?"

Duncan blinked. "A movie?" he asked. Sounded a lot like a date.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Gwen's eyes bulge in disbelief.

"Yes. You can come pick me up at my house," Kristina said, her eyes daring Duncan to disagree.

"Yeah," Duncan said after a moment's pause. "All right." Why not? He's been wanting to go the movies anyway; might as well be with the hottest girl in the school.

"I'll call," Kristina said, smiling brightly.

"Awesome." Duncan gave a small smile back.

Kristina walked past him, her fingers brushing against his shoulder as she went down the row.

"Okay, what was _that_?" Gwen asked as soon as Kristina settled in her seat.

"What was what?"

"This, that's what!" Gwen hissed, leaning forward and brushing her hand across Duncan's shoulder.

"_I'll call,"_ the goth mimicked in a breathy voice.

"Okay, first," Duncan said, shrugging away from Gwen, "Don't_ ever_ touch me like that again."

"Ugh." Gwen rolled her eyes. "You're such an idiot."

"Look, I don't know what's the deal," Duncan said, rolling his eyes back. "A hot girl asked me out. Can you blame me if I say yes?"

"_Yes_," Gwen emphasized, "if you're already 'talking' with someone else."

"And who the hell would I be talking to?" Duncan snapped.

At that moment the bell rang.

"Okay, guys, come on, settle down," Mr. Neiman said, getting up from his desk. Immediately, the class quieted down. When the bell rang, no one spoke in Mr. Neiman's class. Anyone who did got instant detention.

Duncan respected the guy.

"I'm going to start off with the homework from last night-- -are there any questions regarding the paper that I sent out to everyone?" Mr. Neiman asked.

Under the diversion of questions, Duncan watched as Gwen scribbled a word on a scrap of paper, wadded it up into a ball and tossed it onto Duncan's desk.

Duncan raised an eyebrow and quietly un-crumpled the note.

Scrawled across the creased paper in Gwen's spiky handwriting was the name _Courtney Mann_.

Duncan looked at Gwen, frowning. "I'm not talking with her," he mouthed.

Gwen glared at him and looked away.

Oh, right. Gwen and Courtney were best friends.

Duncan stared down at the paper and wadded it up into a ball again.

What the hell was up with Courtney anyway? He couldn't understand it.

Gwen was the princess's best friend. Gwen was basically the female version of Duncan. Essentially. One would think Courtney would steer clear of people like Gwen.

Yet here it was, Gwen and Courtney.

So why was it that she was so disgusted by him? Weren't he and Gwen one and the same?

Well, not really. He was much better looking in any case.

_"Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be." –Thomas a'Kempis_

**Courtney:**

"Dad invited us to dinner again this weekend," Courtney said as she sat on James's bed, painting her nails a light pink.

James looked up from the essay he was composing. "Really?" He eyed the bottle of polish on the bed. "I wish you wouldn't paint your nails in my room. I hate the smell."

"Well, I'm lonely; Mom's not home," Courtney said defensively. "I'll open a window or something."

"I wouldn't mind having dinner again," James said. "Nancy sure can cook."

"What about Mom?"

James bit on the end of his pen. "I don't know. But she can't avoid Dad forever."

Courtney delicately painted her thumbnail. "I'll ask her and see if she wants to go."

"_I can't complain, but sometimes I still do." –Joe Walsh_

**Duncan:**

That Friday night, Duncan's phone rang.

It was Kristian.

"Hey," Duncan greeted. "You coming over this weekend still?"

"Yeah; I'm going to be coming on Sunday; we're still packing and all."

"And you're gonna be leaving next Sunday morning right?" Duncan clarified.

"Yup."

"Awesome."

"It is."

There was a silence on both ends of the line.

"Something wrong?" Kristian asked after a moment.

"A bit," Duncan admitted. "It's been a long week."

"Talk to me. I promise to not get analytical."

"I got in a fight again."

"Okay, before you tell me anything else—"

"I won," Duncan said, nodding. "It's all good."

"Whew. I mean, you know, you haven't been fighting for a while; I was worried you were getting a bit rusty there."

"Not even. Man, I beat the shit out of that guy."

Kristian laughed. "High-five. So what was the fight about?"

"Courtney."

"Damn. So this guy liked her, too?"

"Yeah. His name's Justin."

"Sounds gay," Kristian said.

"I'm surprised he isn't. He's the hottest guy in the school," Duncan said bitterly. "He's on the swim team."

"That's nice. You know, I've known you for almost thirteen years and I've seen you fight with people over everything. Except girls. That's never really been a problem."

"Until now."

"So what's been up with you and her anyway?"

"Ah." Duncan leaned against his headboard. "I give up, man. I'm fighting a losing battle; she doesn't like me at all. I mean, you know, she came over to my house to dress my bruises and cuts and all---"

"Okay, hold up. She came over to your house to take care of you and you're telling me she doesn't like you?" Kristian asked skeptically.

"Look, Courtney is one of the most indecisive people I will ever meet in this lifetime. She can't make up her mind whether she wants to kiss me or kill me. And I know that half the time, she wants to do both."

"That is incredibly romantic," Kristian said wryly.

"Igive up."

"No, you can't."

"You don't know how difficult she is."

"No, admittedly, I don't. But I know how difficult _you_ can be."

"I'm already going out with a much hotter girl this Saturday," Duncan said dismissively. "We're going to see a movie."

"I bet you don't like her half as much as you like Courtney."

Duncan was silent for a moment.

"No, I don't," he admitted.

"But while you're at it, who is this 'much hotter' girl we're talking about?"

"Her name's Kristina. She's Justin's little sister."

"I'm not surprised that the hottest guy in school would have a hot younger sister."

"Dude, you don't understand, though. She's like, insanely hot. I mean, physically, yeah. But I don't find her nearly as attractive as Courtney," Duncan added as an afterthought.

"Then why are you going out with her?" Kristian asked exasperatedly.

"Because she asked me."

"If only logic could always work this way," Kristian said sardonically.

"It's not like I have a freakin' obligation to Courtney," Duncan said, trying to reason with himself. "I'm perfectly available."

"Yeah. But if you like Courtney, isn't this date thing kind of pointless?"

"I wouldn't mind just being friends with Kristina. It doesn't have to turn into anything."

"So her name's Kristina?"

"Yes."

"I don't know, Duncan. I think you should keep on trying. Some girls can be tough nuts to crack."

Duncan chuckled. "I wouldn't want any girl to crack my nuts."

"Ouch."

"For real."

"But maybe Courtney can be an exception."

Duncan smiled to himself, thinking of the many memories of the brunette he had embedded into his mind.

"She's pretty much an exception to everything. But still. I'm not going to cancel on Kristina this weekend. It won't be a date. It'll just be friends going out with friends. Besides, I don't think she's interested in me."

"God forbid that. I can't recall one girl in our old school who didn't like you," Kristian commented, not bothering to hide the sour undertone.

Many girls that Kristian liked had preferred Duncan's badass, couldn't-care-less attitude over Kristian's sweet sensitivity.

Though personally, Duncan could see why.

"You still angry over the Lucy thing?" Duncan teased, going back to freshman year, where this pretty, Lucille Ball-like girl liked Duncan over Kristian.

Her real name was Juliet, but she looked and acted so much like Lucy in that old show, _I Love Lucy_, that everyone just came to call her that.

Duncan found her rather endearing; he always loved Lucy on the I Love Lucy show. Of course, Duncan didn't go out with Lucy when she asked him to the dance instead of Kristian, but that didn't stop Kristian from being a sourpuss.

"No, I'm just wondering how a girl like Lucy could go for you. I thought she was a good girl."

"'_I make 'em good girls go bad'_," Duncan quoted from the song, "Good Girls Go Bad".

"I'm sure you do."

"I'll try things out with Courtney this weekend again then," Duncan decided. "Right after the movie with Kristina. I'll call her up and have her meet you."

"I really want to meet this Courtney," Kristian said sincerely. "Make sure that I see her this weekend."

"I will, bro."

"I gotta go," Kristian said. "I'm gonna be late for my martial arts class."

"Hey, what belt ya on now?"

"Black, second degree," Kristian answered.

"That's my boy."

"Just tryna be like Papa."

Duncan hung up, chuckling. It was a recurring joke between the two of them.

That's why it was great to have a real best friend. There were always inside jokes.

"_Anyone can carry his burden, however hard, until nightfall. Anyone can do his work, however hard, for one day. Anyone can live sweetly, patiently, lovingly, purely, till the sun goes down. And this is all life really means." –Robert Louis Stevenson_

**Courtney:**

She didn't know why, but throughout the day, there was an ominous feeling in the back of her mind that just felt like…

Well, it felt like something was going to go terribly wrong today.

"_I don't rent space to anyone in my head." –Anonymous man on Candid Camera_

**Duncan:**

Duncan was walking out of his room, smelling fresh and clean from his shower, when his father passed by.

It was rare when his father was home; he left very early in the morning and came home late at night. That's what you get when you're the Head Chief of the police department.

And whenever he _was _home, it was usually to nag Duncan. Lately, though, things have been surprisingly smooth between father and son.

He didn't even seem that perturbed when he found out Duncan had been in a fight. ("I've been expecting it," he had said at the dinner table) and easily let Duncan off the hook with a warning of boot camp if this happened again. Same old, same old.

"Hi, Pops," Duncan said, heading past his father.

"And where are you going?" Mr. Mariano asked, taking a bite into his apple. "You look killer, tiger."

The Brooklyn-Italian father never really did get out of the habit of giving his son kiddish nicknames.

Duncan himself didn't really dress up _that _much. He only had on a black, lightning-embossed crewneck sweater and washed-out gray jeans. But his father dished out compliments whenever he could.

"I'm going out, Pop," Duncan said, leaning forward playfully and peering at himself in his father's glasses. "Ya think I really look good?"

"Who's the lucky gal?"

"We're just friends, Dad," Duncan said honestly. "Her name's Kristina."

"Mm. Sounds like a beautiful girl." Mr. Mariano headed into the office room, probably to type up some reports. "All right. Have fun, kiddo. Don't stay out too late."

"Yeah."

"And you better treat her like a lady," Mr. Mariano added.

"Gotcha. I'll see you later, Pa."

As Duncan headed down the stairs, he bumped into his mother.

"Oh, Duncan, you're going out already?" Mrs. Mariano asked, patting her son's cheek. "Don't forget, this weekend, we're going to get rid of that green hair."

"Oh. Yeah." Duncan had forgotten all about that. "Ma---"

"And no, you cannot change your mind--- I've already made an appointment for you Sunday morning. Kristian can come with you if you want."

Unable to argue (because she had warned him he could not change his mind, and he always held to his word), Duncan nodded. "All right. I know.

"Well, have fun, darling," Mrs. Mariano said, giving her son a peck on the cheek. "Don't stay out too late. And take the Beemer; you stay away from that motorcycle."

Duncan rolled his eyes. "I know, Ma."

"_Rule #1: Use your good judgment in all situations. There will be no additional rules." –Nordstrom's Employee Handbook_

Duncan whistled as he drove up to Kristina's house. Or better put, mansion. The house was just as nice as Courtney's and, dare he say it?--- maybe even more extravagant.

He wondered what the hell Kristina's father and mother did as a living.

Duncan strode up the pathway of the house. By now, the sky was turning a light orange; it was around five now.

Duncan noted the extremely neat snowdrops that lined the garden. His mother had attempted to do that around their own house. But she got too lazy. Poor things were going to die until Duncan finally stepped in.

So what? He had a green thumb; he had the right to use it.

Duncan only had to ring the doorbell twice before the door opened, revealing a tall, slim, attractive redhead standing in the doorway. She had on a light pink dress and a white cardigan.

The woman looked like she was in her early thirties, though Duncan knew she had to be at least forty. Make-up and surgery could do wonders, and this lady looked like she might have had a lot of it.

Or maybe she was just born beautiful. Considering Justin and Kristina, that might not be too far off the mark.

"Hello," Duncan offered politely. "I'm here for Kristina."

"Oh!" The lady put on a bright, dazzling smile. "You must be Duncan!"

She didn't seem to be bothered at all by Duncan's green hair (although it _was _pretty faded now). And he didn't have on his piercings except for his earrings.

Nancy opened the door wider for him to enter. "Come in!"

Duncan smiled back. "Thanks."

"I'm Nancy, Kristina's mother," Nancy said, touching Duncan's shoulder lightly. "Kristina's still upstairs getting ready; you wouldn't mind waiting for a few moments in the living room, would you?"

"Not at all," Duncan said, looking around the marble foyer. He held back an urge to whistle again in awe. His mother would be so embarrassed if he did.

"So you're going to take Kristina to the movies?" Nancy asked as she led Duncan to the living room.

The hall expanded into a large, spacious room with a huge dome overhead; the floor was a lush Persian carpet that sank Duncan two or three inches whenever he walked.

Duncan wondered if Justin was home. Or if Nancy knew anything about Justin's fight.

Judging from Nancy's warm welcome, she probably didn't.

"Oh, yeah; we're going to the movies," Duncan said, distracted as he looked around the room. An original Picasso hung on the wall opposite the fireplace. "We're watching Paranormal Activity."

"I heard it's a good movie," Nancy said, hastily cleaning up the coffee table in front of Duncan. "I'm sorry the house is such a mess---"

"What?" Duncan asked in disbelief. "Your house isn't a mess at all; believe me when I tell you that your house is the most beautiful house I've seen."

Duncan knew the trick to winning over a girl's mom's heart was to compliment her house. Uncle Robbie had taught him that.

And so it worked. Nancy's smile lit up two hundred watts brighter; it was blinding by now.

She straightened up, propping her hands on her slim waist.

"Well! Aren't you quite the charmer?" Nancy asked, beaming.

"I'm only being honest," Duncan said sweetly.

Nancy patted the side of Duncan's cheek. "I'm taking a liking to you, Duncan. You're such a handsome young man, too."

"Well, people do say I'm quite a catch," Duncan said, grinning to show that he was joking. Just a little bit.

"And I'm sure you are," Nancy praised. The woman's bright green eyes focused on something just over Duncan's shoulders.

Automatically, Duncan looked behind him.

Kristina was coming down the stairs, her hand resting on the banister.

She looked amazingly beautiful; her hair was tousled into bohemian-like waves. She wore a floaty light pink tunic top and tan shorts that showcased her shapely legs magnificently. There was a leather purse slung in one arm and a jacket in the other.

"Hey," Duncan greeted. "You look great."

Kristina flashed him a smile. So did Nancy.

"Ready to go, then?" Kristina asked, coming up to Duncan.

"I don't see why not."

Kristina smiled at her mother. Side by side, Duncan noticed they had a remarkable resemblance, despite the total difference in aura. Same nose, same lips, same eyes; they even had the same body structure.

"We're going to go then, Mom," Kristina said, her hand already resting lightly on Duncan's arm. "I'll be home in a couple hours."

"All right, then," Nancy said, walking down the hall to open the door for them. "Have a good time watching the movie. And Kris, remember to be back in time for dinner."

"I know," Kristina said, nodding.

"It was great meeting you," Duncan said to Nancy, smiling amiably. He really did like the woman; there was something about her that reminded him of his own mother.

"You, too, sweetie," Nancy said, smiling back at Duncan. "G'bye; have fun," she called as Kristina and Duncan headed down the steps.

"Bye, Mom," Kristina answered, waving over her shoulder.

The door closed behind them, ending the warm glow of golden light that was cast on the pavement.

Duncan opened the car door for Kristina (like his mother taught him) first.

_This isn't a date_, Duncan told himself as he got into the driver's seat. They were just being friends. _This is not a date._

"_No fear. No distraction. The ability to let that which does not matter truly slide." –Fight Club Movie_

**Courtney:**

She rubbed her arms self-consciously, unable to ignore a prickle of dread that had just run up her spine.

"Something bad is going to happen, I just know it," Courtney declared as James walked into her room, a bowl of mixed fruit in one hand.

"You've said that twice already and I still don't believe you," James answered through a mouthful of cantaloupe. "You want some strawberries?"

"I don't know, James," Courtney said, ignoring her brother's offer. "It's just one of those _feelings._ I mean, remember that time when I was twelve? I kept on feeling goosebumps for no reason, and then it turned out that Mom got into a car crash on her way home?"

"Pure coincidence."

Courtney glanced out the window.

In a couple of hours, they would be going to dinner at her father's house.

"Something's going to happen at dinner tonight," Courtney said to herself.

"_What a miserable thing life is: you're living in clover, only the clover isn't good enough." –Bertold Brecht_

**A/N: Oh. My. God. It has been sooo long since I have updated. I am truly, very sorry to you all that I have annoyed and aggravated. It's just that all my AP classes are really getting to me; I'm pushing 6-7 hours of homework a night. (No B.S, I **_**swear**_**). I'd like for all you guys to understand that I've been extremely busy lately. Extremely. (But on a lighter note, midterms for AP History is over!) So, here's the little note that I want to say:**

** YDYD is going on a sort of hiatus. Basically, it's the same one that's been happening recently. I'll still update, fosho. But it will take me forever. So from now on, updates will probably take at least three-four months. I know. Hate me. I hate me, too. I really wish I could have time to type like I did before, but I don't and again, I'm sorry.**

**Anyway, just wanted to tell you guys I'm still alive and kicking(barely). I made this chapter extra long as a little forgive-me present. **

**So, my followers, can you guess what is going to happen next? Duncan is out with Kristina… Courtney is going to dinner. Evidently, someone's going to meet up with **_**someone**_**. Ooh, will some secrets at long last be exposed? Will there be confrontations? Will there be love in the air? Jealousy? Food fight? Tune in and find out! xD **


	22. Enlightenment

**Chapter 22: Enlightenment.**

**Disclaimer: TDI isn't mine. **

"_I'm so in love, every time I look at you my soul gets dizzy." –Jaesse Tyler_

**Duncan:**

"It's been so long since I've done this," Kristina said as Duncan handed her the movie ticket that he had just bought.

"What, go see a movie?" Duncan asked sarcastically, opening the door to the theater.

"_No_," Kristina said meaningfully, pushing Duncan in response. He flashed her a chummy grin as they headed to the food counter. "It's just been a long time since I've been out with someone other than family."

"Two medium popcorns and soda," Duncan said to the cashier. He turned to Kristina. "Sweetheart, you telling me you got no friends?"

"Yes," she said bluntly.

Duncan burst into laughter and quickly sobered up as Kristina looked at him. There was such an odd glaze in her eyes that Duncan decided it wouldn't be prudent to push the subject.

"Well, babe, in any case, you have me as a friend," Duncan assured sincerely, throwing his arm around Kristina.

Though he was quite sure he wasn't attracted to Kristina in _that_ particular way (he already had his eyes on someone else), he had always liked her as a person; she was relatively easy to talk to.

Kristina smiled up at Duncan, her eyes glittering with what could be considered happiness. Instinctively, her hand snaked into the nook of his elbow.

Duncan looked around and smirked a bit as he saw the oncoming stares of people passing by. They must be so jealous. Who wouldn't be? He'd be jealous of himself.

Of course, if it were_ Courtney_ on his arm, people would probably gape too_. _Duncan and Courtney together would garner stares everywhere. For entirely different reasons, of course.

"That's why I like you so much, Duncan," Kristina said simply. "You're my friend."

"Babe, everyone at our school wants to be your friend," Duncan said. "You see all those guys that hound me because of you?"

And it was true. All the guys at school demanded to know how Duncan was on speaking terms with Kristina Fontaine. Apparently, she was less than warm towards most people.

"Those aren't friends," Kristina said dismissively, tossing her head.

Duncan laughed quietly to himself. Her prissy attitude had just reminded him of a very fiery princess.

"You know, I think you and Courtney could get along great," Duncan said without thinking as he took the load of snacks.

He felt Kristina stiffen up.

Duncan looked back down at her.

"What was that you said?" Kristina inquired politely, though Duncan was quite sure that she had heard him the first time.

"Erm… never mind," Duncan said, with a wave of his hand. "Popcorn?"

Kristina sniffed distastefully. As a wicked man I am a complete failure.

"_Why, there are lots of people who say I have never really done anything wrong in the whole course of my life. Of course, they only say it behind my back." –Oscar Wilde_

**Courtney:**

"Mom, Dad's invited us to dinner tonight," Courtney said, watching her mother check the latest stock points on her iTouch. "Are you going to come?"

Mrs. Mann remained fixedly concentrated on the little glossy screen. She tapped on the stock prices for Google.

"Mm…" Mrs. Mann said a little _too _absentmindedly, her eyes not meeting Courtney's, "You know, sweetie, I'm a little tired tonight, so, I'll probably just stay home." She lowered the iTouch a bit. "Besides; I have some paperwork I still have to get done." She nodded at the stack of papers set on the bedside table. "Might take me a couple of hours to get done and I want to get it over with by Sunday.

"What are you going to eat then, Mom?"

"I'll just order something; take out," Mrs. Mann said easily.

Courtney opened her mouth to protest, but her mother cut in.

"Look, CeeCee, I'm really not quite ready to have dinner with your father yet and I'm sure, that no matter what he says," she added, rolling her eyes, "he's not ready either."

Her father had always been a bit _too _eager to have Mom come over. It almost seemed like he was forcing himself to be so.

"So I'm going to keep things from being awkward and stay home," Mrs. Mann said cheerfully. "You kids have to get to know the new family though; it's absolute."

"If you're sure, Mom…"

"I'm positive." Mrs. Mann said. She looked up from her device. "Well, you know, dinner at your father's going to start soon; you should start dressing up. Stop hanging around here; I'll be fine."

Courtney nodded. "All right."

"Why don't you wear that pink dress I bought for you last week?" Mrs. Mann asked, continuing to tap at the little screen.

"The Rachel Roy one?"

"Yes; your father always did like pink on you the best," her mother replied, smiling reminiscently. "I forget the little things."

"That's because they're not worth remembering, Mom," Courtney said bluntly.

"CeeCee, don't be like that! The little memories are the things that you should remember always and forever!" Mrs. Mann insisted. "You should never take them for granted. Geez, how could I have raised such a heartless daughter?"

Courtney tapped her feet impatiently. "No, Mom, I'm just realistic."

"Realistic, my butt. Now—go change. You guys have to leave in an hour."

"Yes, Mom," Courtney said, resisting from rolling her eyes. Her mother could be so dramatic sometimes.

Mrs. Mann watched her daughter leave the room. She heaved a little sigh.

"_Nothing fixes so intensely in the memory as the wish to forget it." –Michel de Montaigne_

**Duncan: **

He leaned easily against the theater's seat, the warm batch of popcorn in his hands.

Kristina sat close to him, intuitively curling up against his arm, her eyes wide in terror.

Paranormal Activity was a good movie, Duncan thought, popping a kernel into his mouth, expression delighted. He loved it. Not because the movie itself entertained him… more like the people themselves.

In all honesty, Duncan was delighted at the many expressions of fear all about him. He _loved_ seeing people scared. It was better than watching the movie itself.

Everyone around him gave a sharp intake of breath as, on the big screen, the blanket that was draped across the couple's bodies was slowly being pulled off.

_Boring. _

Duncan took a sip of his soda, glancing down at Kristina, who was staring at the screen, her mouth slightly open.

"Popcorn?" Duncan offered jovially.

"…No," Kristina whispered, unable to tear her eyes away.

Then, there came a huge bang as the girl on the screen was lifted bodily from the bed and slammed onto the floor. Everyone in the audience screamed.

The teenage punk skater who sat in front of Duncan was so startled that he spilled his popcorn all over the place.

Duncan snorted with laughter as the kid attempted to clean up the mess.

"How can you be laughing?" Kristina hissed, swatting Duncan lightly on the arm.

"Because it's _funny_," Duncan insisted, eyes watering.

He had forgotten what a twisted son of a bitch he was.

"_You silly twisted boy." –Spike Milligan_

**Courtney: **

"—and I couldn't believe that Rodney actually tried to pants me in front of Iris," James was saying animatedly, his hands resting on the steering wheel.

When James felt like it, he could talk the ears off of someone.

"Mm," Courtney said absentmindedly. They were driving to their father's house for dinner. And James, out of sheer boredom, was replaying back an event that had happened earlier today.

Courtney played with the clasp of her Louis Vuitton bag. She noticed a tiny little scratch on the leather surface and frowned. When did she get that?

"Good thing I was wearing my new John Galliano boxers, because at least they're fashionable," James continued, making a left turn.

Courtney picked gently at the scratch, wondering if it could come off. It didn't.

"I don't feel like you're listening," James said.

Courtney rolled her eyes. "God, James, I don't know how Mom deals with you."

James grinned at his sister. "Same way you deal with me. Hey." He punched Courtney's arm lightly. "We're family."

"Unfortunately."

"You know, sometimes, you act like as if you have a huge pole up your-"

"I've been told that many times already, thank you very much," Courtney said, a little more sharply than usual. Probably because what James was about to say reminded her very much of someone she didn't want to be reminded of.

"Okay, geez. Just saying."

"_Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." –Oscar Wilde_

Nancy welcomed the siblings in with utter graciousness when they arrived.

"I hope you're hungry," Nancy said, smiling. "I made simple French dining for all of us today."

Courtney's eyes lighted up. She loved French food.

"So, I'm making Provencal eggs for the main course, an endive, pear and walnut salad and profiteroles for dessert," Nancy said. "Does that sound good to you?" She was looking anxiously at the both of them.

"Sounds delicious," James said, taking off his jacket.

"Perfect!" Nancy said, relaxing immediately. "I was so worried that you two wouldn't like French cuisine!"

"We love it," James said. "All of us go to Paris every summer."

James and Courtney were both half-French. Their mother was of French descent, while their father was half Italian, half Caucasian.

"How nice," Nancy said sincerely. "I've only been to Paris once for a business trip, but it was absolutely beautiful. Can any of you speak the language? It's so flowery and elegant."

"We both can," James said. "But Courtney can speak it really well; much better than I can."

"Oh, can you?" Nancy smiled at Courtney, who smiled back.

"I spoke French with my mom a lot when I was a child, so it just stuck," Courtney said.

"I'm so envious. I've always wanted to speak another language," said Nancy, "Of course, taking classes is an alternative, but being naturally bilingual is so much better."

At that moment, Justin came down the stairs.

Courtney felt her heart race; this was their first meeting after the fight in the library.

Justin's face had fully healed of any bruises, and except for a few scratch marks here and there(which could easily be excused because of small accidents), he seemed back to his perfect self.

"Justin, Courtney and James are here," Nancy said, waving at her son. "Talk to them for a bit while I get the dinner done."

"Sure." Justin's gaze fell on Courtney. Tension filled the air.

"Um, you know," James said uncomfortably. "I think I'll go in and help Nancy…" He edged out of the room.

Courtney turned around to glare at her brother, but he was gone.

She looked back at Justin, who was just simply standing there, his hands in his jean pockets.

"You… you seem better now," Courtney said weakly, gesturing at his faint bruises.

"Hm?" He absentmindedly touched his cheek. "Yeah. I'm all right." He paused. "How's Duncan?"

Courtney looked at Justin; was he actually worried? "He's fine."

"I'm sorry that I had to get you involved," Justin apologized. "I didn't mean- I didn't mean for it to turn out that way." He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "I'm kinda embarrassed I got into a fight; I always thought fighting was the easy way out of conflicts."

"Apology accepted," Courtney said, just wanting to get it over with. "It's fine."

"You didn't get in trouble for skipping class, did you?" Justin asked hesitantly.

"Not really. I made up all my work."

"Oh. And your teacher didn't ask or anything?"

"No. I just told her I got sick and that the office failed to mark me; you know. Stupid mistakes."

"Right."

This small talk was killing her.

"Do you want to go out for a walk?" Justin asked, gesturing outside. "I'm almost tempted to say, "It's a beautiful night," which is hopelessly cliché."

But it _was _a beautiful night, by all means.

Courtney at first opened her mouth to refuse, but was surprised when she realized that she had agreed.

Some fresh air might do her some good, she reasoned.

"Mom, we're going to go out to the park for a bit," Justin called.

Nancy popped her head by the doorway. "Oh, sure; just be back in about half an hour." She turned her head back to the kitchen. "James, do you want to go, too? You don't need to help me in here."

"No, it's okay," James answered. He sounded uncomfortable at the thought of being around Courtney and Justin at the same time. Courtney understood why.

She pulled on her jacket; it might be chilly out.

"Where's Kristina?" Courtney asked as the two left the house. She hadn't seen her around.

"She's out on a date tonight," Justin said, pulling the hood of his sweater over his head. "She'll be back in time for dinner, I think."

The night air was crisp and clean. It was starry out, a surprise since Manhattan was not known for its stars in the sky. Distant crickets chirped in harmony to the soft wind.

"She came up to me yesterday," Courtney said coolly after a moment of silence, "and demanded to know how you got all those bruises."

Justin looked at her, a confused expression on his face.

"Your sister," Courtney clarified. "Maybe you should come clean and tell her."

"Kristina will just get angry with me for fighting. I know her." Justin glanced at Courtney. He seemed hesitant to ask something, though it seemed like it was on the tip of his tongue.

"What is it?"

"I- I was just wondering something," Justin said. "Well, I've _been _wondering for a while, actually—I've been meaning to talk to you about it…" He paused and then looked at Courtney. "Are you and Kristina friends?"

"What do you mean?" Courtney asked, surprised.

"Exactly what I mean—are you two friends?"

"We're friendly enough," Courtney said suspiciously, though in truth, she and Kristina were hardly more than faint acquaintances. "Why?"

Justin had a ghost of a smile on his face. He seemed to catch the tiny inflection in Courtney's voice. "I know that Kristina can be really cold and harsh sometimes. Especially to other girls. But I hope that you can at least try and overlook that."

"There's no point in "overlooking" it," Courtney said bluntly, forgetting to be delicate. "I highly doubt that Kristina likes me at all."

What with stealing her father and Duncan, Courtney didn't know if even_ she_ liked Kristi- wait, did she say Duncan? That was a mistake. She didn't mean that. Did she?

"She's just really lonely," Justin said quietly.

"Lonely?" Courtney asked, aghast, snapping out of her frenzied thoughts. "How could she be lonely? All of our school practically idolizes her and she's barely been here a month."

"That doesn't really matter to Kristina," Justin said at last. "I'd know that much. And even then, that's not a lot." He paused. "I'm not… very close to my sister."

Courtney remembered suddenly how Kristina seemed so lost and despondent when she spoke about being envious of James and Courtney's close relationship.

"_People always think that Justin and I are so close for some stupid reason. Like we always understand each other."_

"Why aren't you?" Courtney asked.

"To explain that, it would take a while," Justin cautioned.

Courtney shrugged. "I don't mind long stories."

"To even begin to explain, I'll have to go back a long while—back to when Kristina and I were still just kids,  
Justin said, his tone heavy. "She was only four. I was five. That was when our parents divorced. My mom got me; my dad got Kristina. My parents _hated_ each other's guts, you know, so Kristina and I never really saw each other."

Courtney stared intently at Justin. He shoved his hands into his pockets.

"My dad wasn't the greatest dad in the world," Justin said, eyes cast to the ground as the two continued walking along the asphalt. "Yeah, he had money and everything, and he provided for us as best as anyone can financially. He always got us the best of everything, like as if to prove he was a better parent than Mom. But that wasn't true at all.

"My mom actually loved me. She loved Kristina, too. She loved the both of us so much. But Kristina wasn't loved enough." Justin looked up at the sky. "Well… I guess Dad loved Kristina. In his own way. But he didn't have time for her. So he sent her to a private boarding school for most of her life. It was one of the best all-girls boarding schools in the country, that's for sure. You ever heard of Waverly?"

Courtney nodded; she had considered going to that school before entering junior-high. But it was not too far from home and much too lonely for her. And not too mention ridiculously expensive; the tuition alone would've paid her way through Harvard law school.

"Yeah. Kristina spent most of her life there. Holidays she came home to Dad, who left her alone with the maids and nannies while he went on business trips. Sometimes, she came over to my house. It took me forever to get her to smile."

"I…didn't know that," Courtney said quietly. She didn't know anything, it seemed, about Kristina.

"Well, when Dad died of a heart attack two years ago," Justin said grimly, "Kristina finally got to live with us. You'd think that we'd be the best of friends now, but I guess years of neglect got to her. Kristina and I never got close." He smiled ruefully. "I guess she kind of resents me. You know, here I am, the pampered boy who got loved and adored every single day of his life. And here she was, the girl who was _supposed_ to be loved and spoiled rotten, and was instead neglected and ignored."

He paused for a moment, eyes unfathomable.

"The point I'm trying to make is, Kristina may be very unfriendly and cold sometimes. But that's only because that's what she grew up with. I know that she's not really like that. But it just takes time to know her. A lot of it."

Courtney looked up at the sky as Justin, in turn, stared intently at her.

They were silent for a moment.

"And what do you want me to do?" Courtney asked at last, crossing her arms and turning her gaze towards Justin. "Become her best friend?"

"No. Just do what it is you're doing now." He smiled slightly.

Courtney frowned. What did he mean by that?

"I'm sure that if you just stay the way you are now, sooner or later, Kristina will warm up to you. All I'm asking of you is that you don't push her away if she does."

"I wouldn't do that," Courtney protested, though parts of her were still bitter about the whole Duncan incident.

God, why couldn't she just let that go?

"If you care so much about your sister," Courtney said flatly as they continued down the path, "why don't_ you_ try and get along with her?"

"I do," Justin said simply. "But I guess she's jealous of me."

"Because of the whole family thing…?"

"Well, that," he shrugged. "And the fact that I'm every bit as attractive as her."

Courtney stared at Justin in disbelief. "I can't believe you think that-"

He grinned. "Well, we_ are_ incomparable."

Justin's cockiness suddenly reminded Courtney very irresistibly of an impish jerk with a crooked smile and green hair.

"Um," she said quickly. "Well, you guys seem to get along pretty well."

"Yeah, we do," he conceded. "Well enough."

"I think it's really… nice of you," Courtney said slowly.

"To…?"

"To watch out for Kristina like that. You're a good brother."

Justin smiled slightly. "No, I'm not. I'm probably the worst brother a girl could have." He looked up at the night sky. "A girl should have an older brother who protects her and cares for her- I didn't do that. Not when she needed me the most, anyway."

"It's never too late to start now," Courtney offered.

Justin gave Courtney a wry smile. "I wish Kristina could say the same."

Suddenly, Courtney felt like as if she was seeing a whole new side to Justin. Not just the popular swimmer Justin, notorious about the school for his looks and superficiality- she was seeing a Justin who was evidently very hurt over his sister. A Justin who cared a lot about someone and didn't know what to do about it.

And it touched her, because it reminded her of how James helped her through their parents' divorce.

"We should get back now," Justin said abruptly, looking at his watch. "My mom will be wondering where we are. You'll love dinner; she slaved away trying to make it perfect for you guys."

He was intentionally avoiding the conversation now; maybe he felt that he had told her too much.

She understood that feeling of vulnerability.

Justin's rambling talk slowly faded away as he lapsed into a thoughtful silence.

Courtney, too, was lost in her thoughts as they walked back to the house.

She suspected that Justin had different intentions than just "enjoying a beautiful night" when he asked her to walk with him.

"_Who is wise? He that learns from everyone. Who is powerful? He that governs his passions. Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody." –Benjamin Franklin  
_

**Duncan:**

Duncan tossed his cardboard box of popcorn away in the trashcan. Kristina stood in the corner, checking her make-up. The rest of the audience filed out of the theater room, pale and white.

Duncan grinned at a gangly eleven-year-old who was walking shakily by him.

"Hey, come on, buddy," Duncan said sportingly, "It's just a movie. Smoke and mirrors." He patted the kid on the back a little too heartily-the poor kid was so shaken that his knees buckled underneath him and he staggered forward.

"_Duncan!_" Kristina said reproachfully, lowering her mirror.

Duncan quickly reached out and grabbed the boy by the back of his t-shirt, yanking him back upright before he could hit the floor.

"Geez, kid, you shouldn't watch scary movies if you get like this," Duncan said, grinning at him.

The boy looked up at Duncan, blue eyes wide and terrified.

Startled at his expression, Duncan held up his hands in withdrawal. "I was only trying to make you feel better. I'm not gonna eat you or anything—" Duncan noticed a middle-aged man striding up towards them; he looked a little pissed.

He was probably the kid's dad. He was glaring at Duncan as he approached the two.

"Hey, hey," Duncan said bracingly. "I wasn't doing anything to your kid, mister."

Without another word, the old man grabbed his son and left. He looked over his shoulder and gave Duncan another dirty look. It was probably because Duncan nearly sent the kid sprawling to the ground.

Duncan bristled. What the hell did he do? "The nerve of that-! Yeah, well, you shouldn't let your kid watch movies like that if he's gonna be a wussy about it!" Duncan snapped after the father and son, who both ignored him. "Geez, what's the geezer thinking, letting a baby like that watch Paranormal Activity?"

Duncan turned back to look at Kristina, who was rubbing at her eyeliner gingerly. Girls. What their obsession with make-up was, he'll never know.

"Come on, doll, you look fine," Duncan said, gesturing to her. "Let's go home."

Kristina snapped her compact mirror closed and smiled slightly at Duncan.

"You seem to attract trouble everywhere you go," she commented as the two left the cinema.

"It follows me," Duncan said easily. "Like a shadow."

Kristina checked the time on her cell phone. "My mother is probably going to start dinner soon-I should get home." She looked at Duncan apologetically. "We have guests coming over tonight."

"My mom would never have guests over for dinner," Duncan chuckled. "She was so afraid I'd do something totally stupid."

"But that's not true."

"Well, actually, it is," Duncan admitted. "The last time we had my dad's coworkers come over for dinner, I ended up starting a food fight at the table." He grinned at the memory. "Man, my mom sure beat my ass that day."

Kristina smiled crookedly. "Geez, you must be so tough."

"Tough enough, babe."

"_Don't be so humble—you are not that great." –Golda Meir(1898-1978) to a visiting diplomat_

**Courtney:**

When Courtney and Justin came home, Mr. Mann was already waiting for her in the living room.

"CeeCee!" her father said, bounding from his seat and over to Courtney. "I've been waiting for ya, kiddo! You had a nice walk?"

He, rather spontaneously, threw his arms around Courtney and lifted her off of the floor in a hug.

Courtney was surprised by her father's sudden affection.

"I've been having a hard week," Mr. Mann said, kissing the top of Courtney's head. "It's just great to see you guys again."

"He's been pining for his kids," Nancy said from the living room, smiling.

"Dad, put me down, please," Courtney said after deeming to give her father a peck on the cheek.

"All right." Mr. Mann proceeded to ruffling Justin's perfect hair. "Hey, man, how was your day?"

"Same as always," Justin replied, shrugging.

"Great, great," Mr. Mann said, affectionately patting Justin's back. "Well, you guys hungry?"

"Starving," James called from the living room.

"What about Kristina?" Justin asked, taking off his shoes. "Is she home yet?"

"She will be soon," Mr. Mann replied. "Just called; said she'd be home in a bit and told us to eat first."

Courtney followed her father into the living room.

"Go wash your hands everyone," Nancy said from the kitchen. "I'll have the table ready." Courtney's father went into the kitchen to help with his wife.

James waited until Justin disappeared into the hall before advancing onto Courtney.

"Hey," James asked curiously. "What did you and Justin talk about?"

"Well," Courtney said hesitantly, looking over her shoulder. "We just talked about things. That's all."

For some reason, it didn't feel right to expose everything that Justin had just confided in her.

"_Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens." –Jimi Hendrix_

Fifteen minutes into dinner, the doorbell rang.

"That would be Kristina," Nancy said, standing up."I'll get the door."

Courtney watched as Nancy disappeared into the hallway. She heard the door slide open. Faintly, she heard a male voice, and then Nancy saying, "Why don't you stay for dinner? Kristina's stepfather has been wanting to meet you."

Courtney exchanged a glance with James.

It was probably Kristina's date.

"You will?" Nancy said distantly. "Great!"

"Guess we have a special guest, kids," Mr. Mann said, standing up. He, too, was eavesdropping. "I'll go get an extra plate and glass for him." He went into the kitchen.

Courtney wondered who this guy was. Would he be as stunningly gorgeous as Kristina? Any date of Kristina's must be amazingly attractive, she concluded.

Nancy entered the dinner, with Kristina behind her. "We have Kristina's date joining us for dinner," she announced.

Courtney smiled at Kristina, who smiled back. She wondered who the date was. Was it someone from Independence maybe?

Someone emerged from the hallway, coming up besides Kristina.

The first thing Courtney noticed was a spiky head of… green…hair?

Courtney's mouth slowly opened.

Oh. My. _God._

"His name's Duncan," Nancy was saying, pulling the tall male out in front. "Isn't he handsome?"

Duncan rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, though he had a grin on his face all the same. "Well…"

And then he saw Courtney.

The smile on Duncan's face slowly slid off, replaced by a look of bewilderment.

"_In the end, everything is a gag." –Charlie Chaplin_

**Duncan: **

Holy. Shit. What the_ hell_ was this?

"_What do you take me for, an idiot?" –General Charles de Gaulle_

Why was Princess at the dinner table…with Kristina's family?

Duncan stared at Courtney, who was staring back at him with equal confusion in her green eyes.

"You know Courtney, right?" Nancy continued. "This is my soon-to-be stepdaughter!"

"_Step-daughter_?" Duncan all but spluttered.

"Yes, step-daughter," Nancy said, looking proudly at Courtney.

"Hello, Duncan," Courtney said, looking pained.

Duncan stared at her.

"And this is James, Courtney's brother," Nancy said, gesturing at James, who weakly held up a hand in greeting.

Duncan turned his stare towards James.

For the first time in his life, Duncan was utterly speechless. He was in shock.

All this time… Courtney had been_ related_ to Kristina and Justin? How come she never told him? _Why_ didn't she tell him?

Duncan looked back at Courtney again.

Courtney defiantly met his stare.

"And this is Justin," Kristina said, oblivious to Duncan's turmoil. "My brother. You know him."

Duncan tore his gaze away from Courtney. His eyes fell on Justin, who was sitting rigidly in his chair, poking at his food idly with a fork.

"Hey," Justin said, not even bothering to look up at Duncan.

"We've met," Duncan said coolly, finding his voice. His body still had bruises because of that jackass.

"And I'm the father," Mr. Mann said, reaching out a hand to greet Duncan. "Dean Mann."

Duncan shook Mr. Mann's hand, looking up at him. He realized that this was the man that Courtney had reputedly hated.

"Hey, name's Duncan Mariano," Duncan said, looking warily at the man.

"Good, firm grasp," Mr. Mann said approvingly. "I like that."

"Well, sit down, sit down," Nancy said, gesturing for Duncan to take a seat. "You must be hungry!"

"I am," Duncan replied, flashing Nancy one of his charming smiles. "The food looks delicious, Miss Nancy."

"Thank you," Nancy said, beaming.

"Sit next to me, Duncan," Kristina said, patting the chair besides her. It had an empty plate in front, along with a glass of water right next to it.

How hospitable, Duncan thought approvingly as he sat down.

The chair was, predictably, right across from Courtney. He didn't dare look at her just yet.

"You two look adorable together," Nancy said brightly. "Don't they, Dean?"

Kristina was smiling even as she looked at her mother reproachfully.

"I suppose you two had fun on your date, then?" Mr. Mann asked, smiling indulgently.

Duncan, who was in the middle of drinking from his glass of water, choked slightly. Did they think it was a _date_? How come he wasn't informed of this?

"It was wonderful," Kristina said placidly. "Duncan was a gentleman; he paid for everything."

Duncan cast a rather panicky glance at Kristina; did _she _think it was a date, too? Duncan just thought it was a friendly outing.

"Well, I'm glad; Duncan here is quite handsome," Nancy said.

"Isn't he?" Kristina said, casting Duncan a look that he could only call adoring.

Geez. Maybe she never did understand.

"Stop, you're making me blush now," Duncan said, waving his hand airily.

Mr. Mann threw back his head and laughed. "You got cheek. That's good."

"Thank you; I'm flattered," Duncan said lightly. He decided to play it cool. Just wave off the fact that everyone thought it was a date—it'll float on by soon enough.

Everyone chuckled at Duncan's breezy comment except for Justin, who was now concentrating on his plate. Of course, the only other person not laughing was Courtney.

She was glaring at him.

Duncan offered her a smile, raising his hand slightly.

Courtney continued to glare at him.

Duncan frowned.

What the hell was she so mad about, anyway? _He_ should be the one that was mad; _she _was the one hiding things from him.

"_Women complain about PMS, but I think of it as the only time of the month when I can be myself." _

–_Roseanne Barr_

**Courtney:**

She could not believe it. She just could not believe it.

That-that _jerk_! That Neanderthal! What was he doing, going out on a _date _with Kristina?

For some reason, the idea of Duncan going out alone with Kristina just bothered Courtney _so much_. It was unexplainable. She couldn't understand it.

But there it was, licking at her insides, burning up her guts, chewing her stomach inside and out.

The way Kristina looked at Duncan, the way she gushed about how he paid for everything at the movies, the way she said so sweetly, "_Sit next to me, Duncan_"-all of it made her sick.

The fact that they watched a movie together in the first place bothered her! Sitting next to each other in the dark room, unnoticed by people, free to do whatever they wanted-Courtney clenched her fork.

God knows what that ogre Duncan would try in the dark next to a beautiful girl.

What kind of movie could they have watched, anyway? A romantic movie? A scary movie so that Duncan could snatch a grope when Kristina held onto his arm? God, it was disgusting.

And there was that idiot, trying to smile at her like as if everything was all right!

Courtney jabbed at her salad viciously.

And there was Nancy, going on about how cute Duncan and Kristina looked together; a feeling of intense dislike arose in Courtney. What was wrong with Nancy, anyway? Why would she approve of an ogre like Duncan, with his earrings and green hair and God knows what else is wrong with him?

And what was wrong with Kristina? Out of all the guys she had to go out on a date with, she chose Duncan? Duncan? Why Duncan? Kristina could have gotten Taylor Lautner or Nick Jonas, for God's sake- she had the connections! Why did she choose _Duncan_?

And _why_ didn't Justin say anything to Kristina about Duncan? Couldn't he have warned Kristina-couldn't he have told her what a stupid, ignorant, insensitive_ troll_ Duncan was? _He _knew about Duncan.

Courtney continued stabbing her salad vindictively-until she felt a slight nudge on her knee underneath the table. She didn't even have to look to know who it was.

There was another gentle nudge.

Courtney slowly looked up from her plate at Duncan.

He was staring at her intensely, mouth set into a grim line.

"What's wrong?" he mouthed over James' talk of his latest swimming match.

Courtney stared back at Duncan for a moment, fixing him with a steely glare. He had the nerve to ask what was wrong? As if he didn't know!

Mustering up whatever etiquette and self-control she had left in her, Courtney sniffed condescendingly and, with a slight flip of her hair, returned to eating her salad.

Unfortunately, she had lost her appetite.

She had barely a few nibbles before Duncan had nudged her knee again.

Courtney heroically ignored him.

Duncan tapped her knee again with his foot.

Once again, she ignored him.

"_As iron is eaten by rust, so are the envious consumed by envy." –Antisthenes_

**Duncan:**

Duncan stared at Courtney. This girl-!

Nothing irked Duncan more than trying to get someone's attention and failing.

And what was even worse, he was failing to get the attention of the girl he liked.

Not cool.

Seriously annoyed now, Duncan kicked at Courtney's knee a bit harder than was necessary.

Of course, it wasn't hard enough to bruise-he'd never hurt Courtney. But just enough to let her know that he was bent on getting her attention.

"_Rule #1: Use your good judgment in all situations. There will be no additional rules." –Nordstrom's Employee Handbook_

**Courtney: **

She nearly choked on her candied walnut when Duncan kicked her in the shin.

It didn't hurt as much as it was startling-but all the same, it pissed her off.

How dare he have the nerve to actually _manhandle_ her like that?

Now he had _really _pissed her off.

Without caring if she overturned the table or not, Courtney returned Duncan's kick tenfold. The sharp edge of her high-heels made a satisfying_ thwomp_ as it connected with Duncan's knee. A vibration ran up Courtney's leg with the strength of the hit, but she ignored it.

She was too busy enjoying Duncan's reaction.

"_Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." –M. Kathleen Casey_

**Duncan: **

Oh. My. _God_.

Duncan keeled over, grasping his injured knee. He jammed his fist into his mouth in order to stop his cry of pain.

"What the _hell_?" Duncan mouthed to Courtney, his eyes watering.

She looked at him for a moment, smiling smugly.

"Are you all right?" Kristina asked, looking concerned. "Duncan, what's wrong?"

"I'm fine," Duncan bit out with effort. "Fine."

"You don't look too good," Mr. Mann said, noting Duncan's pale complexion.

"It's not my food, is it?" Nancy asked, alarmed.

"No, no," Duncan insisted. "I'm fine. Just dandy."

Dandy as a freakin' jacked-up dandelion.

Duncan straightened up and shot Courtney an indignant look.

Whatever he did, he didn't deserve this.

If she was gonna be mad at him, at least give a freakin' explanation! Damn woman.

"_Women: can't live with them, can't bury them in the backyard without the neighbors seeing." –Sean Williamson_

**Courtney:**

Look at that stupid expression, Courtney thought scathingly as she glared at Duncan's angry grimace.

He had best be glad that her legs weren't any longer-otherwise, she would have hit him in a spot that would've_ really_ hurt.

"_As long as the world is turning and spinning, we're gonna be dizzy and we're gonna make mistakes." –Mel Brooks_

**Duncan:**

When dinner was over, Duncan was all but an emotional mess.

Well, sort of.

But he had never felt so many mixed emotions at once; it was impossible to discern anything. Yet if anything, Duncan knew the root of his problems. Courtney. And Justin, to an extent—but the two had stayed out of each other's path, so Duncan doubted another fight would break out just yet.

Yup, it was only Courtney who was putting Duncan in a rage.

He had _tried _talking and reasoning with Courtney, Duncan told himself. So he couldn't be at blame anymore. He didn't do anything wrong. None that he knew of, anyway.

But besides the fact that Princess was mad at him for no apparent goddamn reason, there was another pressing issue on his mind: Courtney's step-family, of which consisted… Justin.

He _had_ to get to the bottom of this and to that meant talking to Courtney ASAP. Even if she was being a royal pain in the ass right now.

So, when Courtney and James said they had to go home after dinner, Duncan planned to follow. He politely declined Nancy's offer of a cup of coffee, saying that he also had to get home.

"Oh, really?" Nancy said, looking sincerely disappointed. "Well, do come again, Duncan. We'd love to have you for dinner again, wouldn't we, Kristina?"

Kristina smiled at Duncan slightly. "My mom likes you."

"Like him? I adore him!" Nancy exclaimed.

Duncan turned a little red; an attractive, successful woman like Nancy could make Duncan a little nervous.

Courtney walked past Duncan, her head high in the air. "Good night, then, Nancy, Kristina," she said, flashing the two a bright smile. Her gaze casted over on Duncan and immediately, another darker, more menacing aura exuded out of her. "…Duncan."

She still had her smile on, but damn, was it a scary-ass smile.

"Good night," Duncan said, managing to prevent his voice from becoming a squeak.

She tossed her hair and walked away to James, who was chatting with his father near the door.

"Come next week, too, all right?" Mr. Mann said, throwing an arm over his daughter.

"Yes, do come next week," Nancy said, following after. "I'll make something exotic!"

"Okay," James said. "I'll run it by our mom."

Duncan automatically trailed after James and Courtney, feeling Justin's gaze upon him. He passed by Kristina, giving her a smile as he left.

She smiled back. "I'll see you next week, Duncan."

"Yeah, sure," Duncan said. "Whatever you want, babe."

In the hallway, Duncan saw Courtney going up on her tiptoes to give her father a kiss on the cheek. "Bye, Dad," she was saying as she headed out the door.

"Bye, sweetie," Mr. Mann called as the siblings left.

"Mr. Mann, Nancy," Duncan said, coming up beside the two. "It was great to meet you; I'm gonna head home now."

"Oh, all right, then," Nancy said, giving Duncan a hug. "It was great to meet you, too."

"I'll see you around," said Mr. Mann, thumping Duncan on the shoulder. "Don't mess around with Kristina, all right?"

"Um, I won't," Duncan said unsurely, wondering what Mr. Mann meant by that.

"Bye, Duncan," Kristina said from behind her mother.

"Bye, dollface," Duncan said, winking back at the beauty. In the background, he saw Justin leaning against the wall, looking at Duncan with a disgusted expression.

Duncan gave Justin a look of triumph and dominance; his smirk was at its most infuriating.

He inwardly grinned at Justin's look of outrage and headed down the marble steps with a certain bounce in his walk. He heard the door close behind him.

They were a rather nice family, Duncan thought. He liked them. Even Mr. Mann, who Duncan had perceived to be a huge jackass. But he wasn't.

There was only one thing (two, if including Justin) that was a pain in his side today, and it-or she-was right in front of him.

Courtney was about to get into the car when Duncan called her.

"Hey, Princess!"

Courtney slowly looked up, her green eyes glittering in the moonlight.

"What is it?" she asked coldly.

"Geez, did it just drop a hundred degrees in here or what?" Duncan asked sarcastically, noting Courtney's frosty tone.

"Look, I have to get home, Duncan."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do."

"Not until you tell me what the hell is going on."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know perfectly well!" Duncan hissed, irked by her innocent act. "Justin is your step-brother and you never told me!"

Courtney's mouth thinned into a grim line. "I don't want to talk with you right now."

"No, that's not a good enough answer," Duncan said, his temper rising. His eyes were beginning to bulge as they usually did when he was seriously angry. "I deserve an explanation."

Courtney's eyes flashed.

"Look, Duncan," James said, getting out from his car, "Maybe now's not the right time-"

"No, James," Courtney said suddenly. She closed the car door behind her. "Now is the perfect time."

"That's right," Duncan sneered.

Courtney closed her eyes for a moment, like as if she was fighting back a serious urge to kick Duncan in the balls. Which she probably was.

"James, can you please leave me and Duncan alone for a few moments? I need to straighten something out with this moron."

Duncan bristled at the insult.

James put his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. Whatever you want. Just call me when you want me to come."

James got back into his car, put it into DRIVE, and disappeared around the corner.

When James was gone, Duncan immediately rounded up on Courtney. "Well? What does the mighty Princess have to say?" He came closer to her.

"You make me sick," Courtney said, pushing Duncan away.

"Geez, as if I didn't know that," Duncan said, brushing his shirt. "But that's beside the point, Princess-"

"Stop calling me that!"

"Fine! _Courtney! _Ya happy now?"

Courtney crossed her arms and regarded him sullenly. "Hardly."

Duncan stared at Courtney for a few moments. And then he asked quietly, sounding, for a moment, almost hurt and upset, "How come you never told me about Justin and Kristina?"

But he really _was _hurt. He thought-well, he_ had_ thought that Courtney was his friend, at the very least.

Someone she could trust.

Courtney seemed to notice Duncan's tone, though she made no acknowledgement of it.

"I didn't think it was something worth telling," she said coolly, though her tone was less biting.

"What?" Duncan asked in disbelief. "Something not worth telling…? How can you say that?"

"My dad is going to marry Nancy," Courtney said tightly. "Justin and Kristina are Nancy's kids from a previous marriage. Therefore, I will soon have two step-siblings. Is everything clear to you now?"

"Oh, yeah, crystal clear," Duncan said sarcastically. "I'm just wondering why you've hidden this dark secret till now."

"I don't see why it concerns you so much, Duncan!" Courtney said heatedly. "Aren't you overreacting a bit? You're acting like as if Justin was _your _step-brother!"

"Even worse," Duncan muttered, glowering at the brunette.

Because of Justin and Courtney's "relationship", Duncan had practically eaten his heart out in jealousy. All this time, he thought that Justin and Courtney hung out because they liked each other. He thought that Courtney had feelings for Justin-

But it was all because Justin was family.

_Family. _

But Justin didn't see Courtney as family, Duncan realized. He remembered their last conversation.

_ "I hear that you've been talking with Courtney lately. I suppose you have intentions towards Courtney?"_

He remembered Justin's teasing grin.

"_And if I do?"_

What a sicko, Duncan thought vehemently. Hitting on your own step-sister!

But then again—they weren't blood relations…

Only one way to find out.

"So," Duncan started, looking at Courtney," You and Justin-you two-you guys have nothing together?"

Courtney narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean, 'nothing together'?"

"Exactly what you think I mean."

Courtney looked insulted. "Of course not," she snapped, sounding defensive. "Justin is my step-brother; don't be so stupid."

And if her voice was a little higher than usual, he didn't notice. A feeling of relief was spreading throughout him.

"So, just to clarify everything… you're family with Justin, right?"

"Yes."

"You guys aren't _together_ or anything, right?"

"_Yes_. How could you think that something was between me and Justin?" Courtney asked distastefully, though she didn't meet Duncan's eyes.

"Better not be," Duncan muttered darkly. "Or else I'll jam my knee up his—"

"What was that?" Courtney asked sharply.

Duncan smiled angelically at Courtney. "Nothing."

Now that everything was explained from Courtney herself, Duncan felt like a huge weight was off his chest. Courtney didn't seem at all interested in Justin; she was only hanging with him because they were step-siblings!

Justin might have feelings for her, Duncan thought dubiously. But a girl like Courtney could very well ignore his advantages; she wouldn't fall for the cheap tricks that floozy, girly Justin would be liable to employ.

Of course.

Duncan couldn't help but smile smugly to himself. Yeah, he knew he looked idiotic, standing there, grinning like a doofus—but he couldn't help it.

Courtney frowned at Duncan, noticing his smile with alarm.

"Don't smile like that," she snapped, "You look like a madman."

"Sorry."

Duncan directed his smile down at Courtney instead.

She gave him no smile back; instead, she had this odd expectant look in her eyes.

"_Well?"_ she pressed.

"All right. I'm good," Duncan said lightly, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Wha—_what_?" Courtney asked in disbelief. "You're good? _You're _good_?" _

"Well—yeah," Duncan said, disconcerted. "I don't have anything else to say."

"Just like that?" she demanded. "And what about me?"

"You?" Duncan blinked. "What do you mean, you?"

"Since I dealt with your idiotic questions, don't you think you owe _me_ something, too?"

"Well, I mean, if you want something else," he suggested coyly, thinking that this was too good to be true, "We could go back to my place and, uh, you know, fool around." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

Courtney turned a bright red, much to Duncan's satisfaction.

"You—you-you!" Courtney stamped her foot angrily. "You disgusting ogre!" She punched his arm furiously.

"Ow!" Duncan yelped. "I was only _suggesting_-"

"You!" _Punch._ "Make!" _Punch._ "Me!" _Punch._ "Sick!"

Duncan staggered back, surprised at the petite brunette's strength. His arm was stinging like hell.

"What was _that_ for?" he demanded, rubbing his arm.

"As if you don't know!" Courtney said, her eyes flashing.

"No, I really don't," Duncan said blankly.

Courtney's nostrils flared with anger. "I have been holding myself back this whole entire time, waiting for an explanation or-or _something! _I was nice enough to deal with you and explain about Justin and Kristina-And I thought _you'd_ take the chance to explain yourself about- _augh_!" Courtney stomped her foot angrily and began pacing back and forth. "You don't even-I can't even fathom- " Courtney turned on her heels and glared at Duncan. "You're absolutely _unbearable_!"

"You're not making any freakin' sense- Whatthe hell did I do?" asked Duncan, looking alarmed. Courtney had really gone off the edge now. "I thought that we settled everything already!"

"Settled everything? As always, Mr. Egotistic, it's all about _you_- You don't think _I _have something to settle with you?"

"Settle with me? What the hell are you talking about?"

"How _dare _you go around demanding and interrogating about me and Justin, when _you _are off gallivanting with Kristina!" Courtney refused to meet Duncan's eyes as she spat out viciously, "Watching movies together and flirting and being completely _nauseating_—"

"Gallivanting?" Duncan asked, trying to suppress a laugh. "Did I just hear you say 'gallivanting'?"

Even in this situation, Courtney could still crack him up.

"Stop changing the subject!" Courtney said, blazing up again.

"Wait, is_ this_ what you're so mad about? Me hanging out with Kristina?" Duncan asked, a slow feeling of delight growing over him. "Is this why you went all gung-ho on me at the dinner table?"

Courtney looked up at him woodenly. She seethed to herself, arms tightly crossed against her chest.

Duncan leaned in closer to Courtney, trying to take a look at her sullen expression. She turned her head away haughtily.

"Courtney, are you actually… _jealous_?" Duncan asked gleefully.

Suddenly, that excruciatingly painful kick she gave him under the table… didn't seem so painful anymore. In fact, it was almost enjoyable.

She had hit him because she was _jealous!_ The harder she hit him… the _more_ jealous she was!

Duncan's logic never failed him.

"Of course not!" she harrumphed.

Duncan narrowed his eyes at her. This girl was stubborn. But he'd pry it out of her if it was the last thing he did.

"Then what's up with the 'gallivanting' and the 'being completely nauseating'?" Duncan probed. "Sounds like the green monster is rearing its ugly head," he sang.

"I am_ not_ jealous!" Courtney said heatedly.

"Then what's the problem with me and Kristina hanging out?" Duncan said, grinning his infuriating grin. "I'm a free agent."

Courtney gave him a look of utter disdain and contempt.

"I'm sure you are."

"Let's stop playing this game, babe; how about you admit that you're jealous and that you want me to take you out on a date like I did with Kristina, and then we'll make out and call it a happy ending?" He grinned.

Courtney scowled. "I wouldn't date you if you were the last man on Earth."

"Then you wouldn't have a problem with me going out with Kristina again next Saturday night, would ya?" Duncan asked casually, stuffing his hands into his jean pockets.

Courtney hesitated. But pride took the better of her and she tossed her head to the side. "I couldn't care less."

"Good, cause I'm taking her out to the mall next time," Duncan said slyly, though this was a total lie.

Kristina_ had_ mentioned another date to him just a while ago, but with Kristian coming over and all that, Duncan had to deny the date. Regrettably. It would've been fun to make Princess even more jealous.

Courtney pursed her lips. "I'm _done_ with this conversation. I'm going to go home now. Good night, Duncan." She promptly turned her back on him, walked to the edge of the block.

She took out her phone.

Duncan grinned, watching the petite brunette haughtily ignore him.

Deciding to play around with Courtney, Duncan took a few deliberate steps towards the girl.

She immediately scowled at him.

"I'm only going to say this once. I do not want to speak to you or see you," Courtney said crossly. "Go _away_."

Duncan's grin grew wider. He took another calculated step closer to Princess, his hands innocently placed in his pockets.

Courtney looked like she was going to throw a temper tantrum.

"Are you so stupid that I must spell it out for you?" Courtney demanded. "I. Am. _Angry._ With. You."

She was _angry _with him? Duncan could barely hold back his laughter. What was this, kindergarten?

"Don't come another step closer to me," Courtney said hotly. "I mean it!"

"Or else what?" he asked tauntingly, holding up one foot to take another step.

"I'll kick you somewhere you don't want to be kicked," she said dangerously, narrowing her glittering eyes.

"Oh." Duncan promptly put his foot back down. She seemed serious.

As fun as it was to mess with Courtney, he wasn't willing to risk his family jewels.

Courtney glowered at him for a moment. Then she turned and dialed her brother's number on her phone.

Duncan still continued to look intently at her, even though she was attempting to disregard his stare. She was refusing to look at him as she passed on a message to her brother; probably telling him to pick her up.

Of course he was disappointed that she was leaving; but Courtney's brief moment of jealousy had given him enough to relish on for the rest of the night. And maybe tomorrow morning.

She was jealous. No matter how much she denied it, that was the simple truth.

Courtney looked briefly at Duncan. When she saw that he was still looking at her, she quickly turned away.

Duncan smiled to himself, an odd warm feeling spreading in his chest. He rubbed at his sore arm absentmindedly.

She really knew how to hit in the right places.

"_When we are in love we seem to ourselves quite different from what we were before." –Blaise Pascal_

In a matter of moments, James arrived at the curb. He was probably waiting in the parking lot behind the house.

Courtney didn't even look at Duncan as she walked towards the car.

She was about to reach for the car door when Duncan called out her name. He didn't come any closer to her, and instead stayed at his designated spot, just like she told him to.

"Hey, Courtney." His hands were still in his pockets.

Courtney's hand hovered over the car door. She paused for a moment, her back turned towards him.

"What?" she asked crossly, still refusing to look at Duncan.

"I just thought you'd like to know… there's nothing between me and Kristina."

Courtney slowly turned to look at Duncan. "What?"

"I was only kidding around. I only went to the movies with her because I owed her one." He smiled slightly at Courtney. "We're only friends, babe."

For a moment, Courtney looked at a loss for words.

"So?" she managed. "Why are you telling me this? I don't care."

"I know," Duncan said simply. He grinned at her. "And another thing. I'm not going out with her or anything next Saturday. I was only joking around to make you mad."

Courtney glared at him, though her eyes were less angry and biting now.

"Hey. Don't be angry with me, okay? Breaks my heart when you are, Princess," Duncan said lightheartedly.

Courtney's mouth opened, like as if she was about to say something. But she closed it tightly.

After a moment, the brunette finally said, her tone even and cool, "Well… good night, then, Duncan." She nodded curtly. And Duncan knew that there was now a fragile truce between them. He grinned.

"'Night, Courtney."

With that, Duncan waved goodbye to Courtney and walked away without one look backwards.

And he could just feel Princess's stare burning into his back.

Duncan grinned to himself, knowing that he looked killer.

_Damn_, he was good.

"_It is absurd to say that a man can't love a woman all the time as it is to say that a violinist needs several violins to play the same piece of music." –Honore de Balzac_

**Courtney: **

She watched Duncan walk away, an odd feeling curling up in her chest. He was swaggering like an idiot, too.

That jerk.

Courtney cracked a small smile as she got into the car.

That stupid jerk.

"_Falling in love you remain a child; rising in love you mature. By and by love becomes not a relationship, it becomes a state of your being. Not that you are in love—now you are love." –Osho_

**A/N: There is no way in the world that I can express my apologies towards everyone for my long hiatus from . My junior year just flew by and the months passed so quickly; I didn't even realize. I know that I've been gone for a long time. Nearly half a year? *sweat* Since summer started, I have been working very hard to finish up my chapter. But the terrible thing was, not only did I not have time, I only had writer's block! My cable apparently doesn't provide Cartoon Network any longer so I couldn't depend on watching TDI or TDA for inspiration any more! After half a year without looking at TDI once, I lost my touch with the characters. So I really didn't **_**feel **_**the love I had for them anymore. But just recently, when I was in Reno, I actually got to watch TDA in my hotel room! Just seeing Duncan and Courtney again just sparked up my lost love for them and I got home and typed with a vengeance! (Unfortunately, TDA doesn't have NEARLY ENOUGH DxC moments for me to be content!) I can't promise you that I'll update again soon because next year, I have 3 AP classes: AP Bio, AP Lit, and AP Stats. If I can manage it, I'll update. If not… well, if you guys ditch this story entirely, I don't blame you. **

**For those who have awaited me patiently, I really do appreciate it and I wish I could thank each and every one of you personally. It really makes me sad and happy to see you guys email me asking for updates. I'll try my best. So, for now, I hope this long chapter kinda sorta made up the long wait. I'll have the second one up before school starts, I hope. **

**I'm sorry for everything! But I thank you for everything, too(: I love you all and I hope to see you soon!**

**And as always: read & review. It'll make me feel like I have something to work for! **


	23. Author's Note: My Apologies

Hi guys,

Oh my god. I am so, so, so, so sorry that I have not been updating for the past...years. I really have no excuse as to why I completely dropped YDYD. Maybe it was with the turn of events in TDI, where Duncan fell in love with Gwen and completely dumped Courtney. I don't even remember what happened...but I basically fell out of love with this couple. I know, that gives me no right to leave my readers hanging, and I'm really sorry. I've been getting reviews lately asking me to update, and, if you guys are still willing to read my story, I'm glad to inform everybody that I will be updating this fanfiction. I've been really busy lately with college and everything (can you believe it, I started this fanfic in my sophomore year of high school and now I'm a sophomore in college! :0) so, that's also a reason why I've lagged so much. Anyway, a new chapter will be up soon! I've outlined the plot and everything so I know what to do! Love you all, thank you so much for waiting, YDYD doesn't deserve you guys :'D

Love,

MooshiSushi


	24. Dangerous Revelations

**Chapter 24: Dangerous Revelations**

**Disclaimer: I don't own TDI and its characters.**

_"Relationship is an art. The dream that two people create is more difficult to master than one." -Don Miguel Ruiz_

Duncan:

When he woke up Sunday morning, Duncan was greeted by the smell of French toast and bacon from downstairs. He could hear his mother downstairs, humming.

Why the hell was she making French toast out of nowhere? It wasn't like to her to- Oh, yeah.

Duncan grinned.

Kristian would be coming today. Of course his mother would do something special when the boy arrived.

Feeling recharged with enthusiasm, Duncan took a quick shower, threw on a t-shirt and sweats and hurried downstairs.

"Morning, sweetie," Mrs. Mariano called from the kitchen as Duncan slid down the stairs via railing.

"Morning," Duncan said, coming into the quaint and sunny kitchen. "It smells great in here."

"Food tastes great, too," Mr. Mariano said from the kitchen table. He was tucking in on a plate of French toast, bacon and eggs. "Good morning, champ."

"Hey, Chief," Duncan said to his father, who was dressed up in his police officer attire. Duncan looked his father up and down.

"Ugh." Duncan didn't try to hold back the shiver that ran down his spine. His father rolled his eyes good-naturedly. For some_ odd_ reason, Duncan always felt a sense of trepidation when he saw his dad dressed like that.

"Duncan, get over here," Mrs. Mariano said. "Watch over the eggs for me while I eat some cereal."

"What, I don't get to eat first?" Duncan complained, though he went over to the stove obediently.

"Flip the eggs when it starts to get brown on the bottom," Mrs. Mariano said, pouring herself a bowl of Special K. "I'm getting sick of eating this," she complained, poking glumly at the bran.

"Still on that diet?" Duncan asked.

"I'm afraid so," Mrs. Mariano sighed. "It's been more than 2 weeks and I still haven't seen any change."

"I'm telling you, honey, that Special K crap is all bogus," Mr. Mariano said from the table.

"Miriam did it and she lost the weight!" Mrs. Mariano said hotly. "It should work for me, too!"

"Maybe if you stopped with the chocolate ice-cream at night, you'd lose weight faster," Duncan mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?" Mrs. Mariano said, rounding on her son sharply.

"Nothing." Duncan idly checked under a sizzling egg.

Mrs. Mariano shot her son a glare as she filled the bowl with skim milk. "Anyway," she continued, placing the gallon of milk back into the fridge. "Are you planning to take Kristian anywhere today? You've got a whole week off to do things together."

"I'm planning on having him meet some of my friends," Duncan said, flipping over an egg. "Well, one, to be exact."

Duncan had no intention of having Kristian meet anyone else other than Courtney.

"That's nice," Mrs. Mariano said, nodding.

"I don't want you two going off and doing things that are against the law," Mr. Mariano said. "You hear me?"

"Dad, come _on_," Duncan rolled his eyes. "What makes you think that?"

"Last time Kristian went over for Christmas, you two went streaking at your school's football game!"

"Pa, it was a _celebration_!"

"Celebration or not, I don't want you to go around doing anything stupid this week, all right?" Mr. Mariano said dismissively. "That means no spray-painting, no vandalizing, no… well, no nothing of whatever it is that you do to pass the time."

"You know Duncan wouldn't do that with Kristian; Kristian's _level-headed_," Mrs. Mariano said placidly as she sat down besides her husband.

"That boy's got a wild streak of his own, Camille," Mr. Mariano warned.

Duncan grinned. It was Kristian's idea, after all, to go streaking at their high school's biggest football game of the season.

"I promise, Pa, no tricks," Duncan said solemnly, putting up a hand while the other one pressed the flipped over another egg. He secretly crossed his fingers. And his toes, for good measure.

At that moment, the door bell rang.

"That must be Kristian," Mrs. Mariano said, starting to rise from her seat. But a blur passed her by before she could make it out of the kitchen. The spatula dropped with a clatter on the counter.

Duncan swung open the front door and gave a yell as he saw his best friend standing there on the front step, duffel bag in tow.

"Duncan!" Kristian yelled, promptly dropping his bags and holding his arms wide open.

"Kristian!" Duncan shouted joyfully, foregoing the hug as he leapt on his best friend and gave him a long-awaited noogie. "_Man,_ I missed you!"

Kristian fought valiantly to escape from Duncan's clutches but failed. He emerged a few moments after, his hair in shambles.

"You grew taller," Duncan said approvingly, comparing Kristian's height with his. "You're almost there, buddy!"

"What are you saying; I'm almost taller than you," Kristian laughed, shoving Duncan playfully.

Kristian had hardly changed since the last time Duncan saw him; he was still gangly and tall, and his skin still had that same old Hawaiian-boy tan.

"Hello, Duncan," Mrs. Delacruz said, coming up from behind Kristian. "How've you been?"

"Fine," Duncan grinned. "How about you?"

"Oh, getting by," she said breezily.

"Oh, Rosie! I've missed you!" Mrs. Mariano exclaimed, going past Duncan to give her friend a hug.

"Me, too, me, too," Mrs. Delacruz said, hugging Mrs. Mariano tightly. "You look skinnier!"

"I do?" Mrs. Mariano asked, looking delighted. She turned.

"Special K?" Mrs. Delacruz asked, grinning.

Mrs. Mariano gasped. "_How did you know_?"

Duncan rolled his eyes.

"Ladies, please," Mr. Mariano said, coming up from behind Duncan. "Get in the damn house already; you're making a scene."

"Charming as ever, Charlie," Mrs. Delacruz said dryly.

"Hey, there's a good breakfast waiting on the table that I got to attend to," Mr. Mariano said, ushering the ladies in. "I don't have time to be charming." He grinned at Mrs. Delacruz.

"Duncan, take Kristian upstairs and show him his room. Put away his luggage for him, too," Mrs. Mariano ordered. "And don't take too long; there's food waiting down here."

"Gotcha." Duncan grinned at Kristian as he heaved the luggage over his shoulder. "C'mon." The two went upstairs.

"So," Kristian said casually. "Where am I sleeping?"

"In the guest room." Duncan elbowed the door open. "Right next to mines."

"Great, I get to hear your god-awful snoring in perfect clarity." Kristian looked around the spacious guest room, smiling reminiscently. "_Man_, I missed this room."

"Hey, there's memories in here," Duncan said, tossing the luggage onto the bed. He grinned at the window by the bed. He and Kristian always snuck out from this very window; it was situated conveniently by a tree from which the two could climb down.

It was getting back up that was always a problem.

"I miss this bed, too!" Kristian said, smoothing out the covers, grinning. "Same old, same old."

Kristian and Duncan had sleepovers back in the golden days of elementary and middle school; this guest room was nearly always inhabited by Kristian every Friday and Saturday.

Kristian looked at Duncan. "And you- You haven't changed a bit. Though your hair might need some retouching." He eyed Duncan's faded green hair.

"Yeah. About that." Duncan touched his head. "My mom's gonna force me to take it out."

"What?" Kristian looked shocked. "No way, man; you've had that since 9th grade!"

"I know. But I grew out of it, I guess." Duncan shrugged. "It's all right. Nothing big." Not really, anyway.

"Well, it's your head," Kristian said bracingly. "Anyway, what's our plans for today?"

"I want you to meet a special someone," Duncan said mischievously.

"Aah. Courtney Mann?" Kristian asked shrewdly.

"The very one."

Kristian raised an eyebrow. "How do you even know if she'll agree to see me or not?"

"She's not gonna have a choice," Duncan said, grinning back.

"What? You're gonna make her meet me by force?" Kristian asked sarcastically, opening up his luggage.

"Hmmmm," Duncan hummed. "Yes."

"What?" Kristian slowly lowered the t-shirt he was taking out of his luggage.

"You'll see." Duncan smacked Kristian's back fondly. "Come on. Let's go get some breakfast. And then change into something decent, cause we're going on a field trip."

"A field trip?" Kristian asked, frowning.

A very ominous and smug look grew on Duncan's features. "You ever seen a New York mansion?"

"Huh?"

_"Humor results when society says you can't scratch certain things in public, but they itch in public." -Tom Walsh_

Courtney:

On a typical Saturday morning, you would find Courtney at home, either doing homework or studying or out doing community service.

Today, however, was the beginning of spring break, and there was no work or service to be done. James was out with his friends for the weekend, and their mother was currently at her company, trying to finish up some work. That left Courtney home alone.

Of course, she would have to do something, too. So, she decided to call up Bridgette and Gwen and head to the mall.

It's been a long time since the three went shopping together. Some retail therapy would do Courtney some good anyway.

_"Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping." -Bo Derek_

Duncan:

"Dude, where are we going?" Kristian demanded as he climbed into front seat. "You know I don't like surprises."

"Blah blah blah, just shut up and we'll go where we're going," Duncan said impatiently, starting the car.

"God, you're unbelievable," Kristian muttered. "Haven't changed a bit…"

"Seatbelts on?" Duncan asked, checking the rearview mirror.

"Yeah, yeah, quit your nagging."

Duncan might be wild on his motorcycle, but a car was a different thing. Believe it or not, Duncan was a very meticulous driver. Probably because he was taught by his father…

Duncan shivered. That was a summer he would never want to experience again.

Now, Duncan frowned as he entered the highway. If he recalled correctly… her house was on the next exit.

_"People seem to get nostalgic about a lot of things they weren't so crazy about the first time around." -Anonymous_

Courtney:

She checked herself over in the full-length mirror.

Since it was spring, Courtney allowed herself to wear shorts, paired with a gauzy, diaphanous white chemise. And some killer heels, Courtney thought, admiring her brand new Balenciagas.

So far, so good.

She snatched up her purse and headed downstairs to wait for Bridgette and Gwen (who were going to drive her to the mall).

It was awfully quiet in the house without James or her mother around, Courtney thought, as her heels echoed about the large, empty space.

She sat down primly on the sofa, fixing up the cushions so that they were nice and straight. Then, the doorbell rang.

"Coming!" Courtney called, getting up. It was probably Bridgette. "Took you long enough," Courtney said impatiently as she swung the door open, "I thought you were caught in tra-"

The words died in Courtney's mouth as she caught a full view of the caller.

It was, by no means, Bridgette.

"Top of the mornin', darling," drawled Duncan, leaning against the door frame.

_"Flirtation: attention without intention." -Max O'Rell_

"Duncan?" Courtney gasped. She furrowed her eyebrows, trying to comprehend what was happening. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Duncan grinned. "Feel like going to the beach?"

"What?" Courtney stared at Duncan. "_No_, I don't feel like going to the beach! What is wrong with you?"

"Well, you've got no choice, beautiful, cause I've got someone who really wants to meet you," Duncan said, tugging on Courtney's wrist. "And, hey, you look like you're about to head to the beach, anyway- just throw on some flip-flops and we're good to go!"

"You're out of your mind!" Courtney protested. "These kind of things take time to plan! And I'm already going to the mall with Bridgette and Gwen-"

"So call and cancel," Duncan said easily. "Better yet—" he reached into Courtney's purse and pulled out her Blackberry. "I'll call them for you."

"_Duncan!"_ She was bewildered. Never before had Duncan attempted a forceful stunt like this; she was almost at a loss of words. She watched in horror as Duncan put the phone to his ears while holding Courtney at bay.

"Hello, Bridgette?" Duncan said cheerfully, carefully tilting his head out of Courtney's reach. "Yes, I am Duncan and _yes_, I am on Courtney's phone." He paused, listening to Bridgette, one hand keeping Courtney at bay. "Yeah, about that—she isn't gonna go the mall with you today. No, sir. She's going out with me." Duncan grinned. "Oh, yeah, she just jumped at the chance. Yeah, of course, I will. Don't worry. All right. Say hi to Gwen for me. Later."

Duncan hung up, a satisfactory look on his face.

"Here you go." He handed the phone back to Courtney, who in turn, yanked it from his hand, absolutely fuming.

"You're _unbelievable_!" Courtney yelled. "Who do you think you are, stealing people's phones and making false statements and accusations-"

"Just get in the car, sister," Duncan said exasperatedly. "Trust me, you'll have fun."

"I'd rather jump off a cliff," Courtney scowled.

"Unfortunately, there is no cliff around here for you to verify that statement," Duncan said, grinning wickedly. "Now, run in the house and get some flip-flops; we're going to the beach."

Courtney crossed her arms stubbornly. She wouldn't follow his orders that easily.

"Or," Duncan added, his tone impish, "Would you rather I go ask the beautiful Kristina to go instead? I'm sure she'd look gorgeous in a string bikini."

Courtney glowered at him. "I _hate _you."

"Do you know how sexy you get when you hate me?" Duncan asked, almost adoringly.

"Ugh!" Courtney gnashed on her lips, contemplating on what to do next.

Bridgette certainly wouldn't pick her up, now that she knew Duncan was involved—Courtney could always just blow Duncan off, but she didn't want to spend her Saturday alone.

And who was this person that Duncan wanted her to meet, anyway?

Well… she _was_ curious.

She could allow herself a little trip, Courtney reasoned.

"Well?" Duncan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Give me a moment," Courtney said curtly, heading back into her house.

"Sure," Duncan said at once. "Go get whatever you need. You know, I could help you pick out a bikini if you want—"

Courtney slammed the door in his face.

Duncan sighed affectionately.

"Gotta love that woman," the delinquent said, shaking his head.

_"When love is not madness, it is not love." -Pedro Calderon de La Barca_

When the door opened barely a minute later, Duncan was speechless to see Princess all decked out in beach attire—beach bag, flip-flops, sunglasses, water bottle… She had changed her outfit, too.

"That was fast," Duncan managed. How the hell did she change and gather all that crap in one minute? Hell, Courtney could have a future as a burglar if she wanted.

"I like to be prepared," Courtney said primly, turning around to lock her door.

Duncan patiently waited until she finished.

"Who is this person you want me to meet, anyway?" Courtney asked, tucking the keys neatly into her pocket.

"A great friend, a _compadre_," Duncan said grandly, throwing an arm over Courtney's shoulders. "You could call him my best friend."

"What, is he a criminal, too?" Courtney asked, distastefully shrugging off Duncan's hand.

"No, babe, nothing like that," Duncan said, grinning. "You'll like him. He's a Princess like you, too."

Courtney frowned. "I'm not sure I want to meet him."

"Hey, come on," Duncan said, taking out his cell phone. "He came all the way from NJ to see you; have a heart." He flipped on his cell phone. "I gotta make a quick phone call to somebody, so just go ahead and get in the car." He nodded at the car parked across the road. "I'll be there in a moment."

"So chivalrous," Courtney said sarcastically, walking off. He didn't even bother to open the door for her.

"Hey, Uncle," Courtney heard Duncan greet on the phone. "It's me, Duncan…" His conversation faded away as Courtney neared the vehicle.

When Courtney opened the car door, she was pleasantly surprised by how clean the interior was. The seat was free of crumbs and other residue, Courtney noticed, as she settled herself into the seat. She neatly placed the beach bag at her feet. No trash lying about, like she would've thought…

She turned around to inspect the backseat.

"Hey there"

Courtney gasped, visibly startled.

Sitting in the back was a young man about her age. He looked Filipino or something of the sort, since his skin seemed naturally dark. He was quite handsome, Courtney admitted. His features complemented each other well.

"I'm Kristian," the young man offered, holding out a hand. "You must be Courtney, right?"

"Yes," Courtney said, hesitantly taking the proffered hand.

This guy did not look like he could be Duncan's best friend. Kristian seemed like he was the polar opposite of Duncan. He had gentle brown eyes and golden-brown skin, which stood out in stark contrast against Duncan's sharp teal eyes and pale complexion. And unlike Duncan's conspicuous faux-hawk, Kristian's jet-black hair was simply styled up with gel.

Even his clothing made a glaring difference to Duncan's. Duncan's style exuded rebellion, danger… a very James Dean kind of aura. Kristian looked more like a laidback, Tommy Hilfiger or Calvin Klein kind of boy, what with his red long-sleeved flannel shirt and tan cargo pants.

"Sorry if I scared you," Kristian apologized, "Duncan made me sit in the backseat 'cause he wanted you next to him," he added, a little sourly.

Courtney couldn't help but smile in spite of herself.

"Anyway, you're just as pretty as Duncan says you are," Kristian said, beaming. "He's constantly bragging about you."

"Really?" Courtney asked delicately. "I find that hard to believe."

"He thinks very highly of you."

Courtney's cheeks were hurting from smiling so much.

"Okay, I'm back," Duncan said as he opened the car door. "Have you two gotten acquainted yet?"

"Yeah," Kristian said, leaning back in his seat. He grinned at Courtney and put a finger to his lips in a "shushing" gesture.

Courtney took it to mean he wanted her to keep mum about the conversation they just had about Duncan.

"I just called up my dad's old pal, Ralphie," Duncan said as he started the car, "He manages this boardwalk kind of place behind the beach—He said he'll hook us up with an all-day pass to the attractions."

"Attractions?" Courtney asked.

"Yeah. They have, you know, rides and carnival types of games," Duncan said breezily, slowly driving down the neighborhood. "We can go to the beach, chill there and then go and have some fun."

"Man, I miss old Uncle Ralphie," Kristian sighed. He and Duncan always got free passes into the boardwalk because Uncle Ralphie always provided their tickets.

"Exactly how long will this car ride take, Duncan?" Courtney asked, narrowing her eyes.

Duncan pondered for a moment. "Uh, like, what do you think, Kris—an hour or so?"

"I reckon it'd be about there," Kristian lazily said from the back.

"An hour long!" Courtney exclaimed. That was much longer than she had bargained for.

"_Heeeyyy_, toots, it's spring break," Duncan said, looking at Courtney with amusement. "Relax and enjoy the scenery, won't ya?"

Courtney scowled at him, but quickly stopped, realizing she was in the presence of someone civilized.

Duncan's amused grin grew wider.

The delinquent met Kristian's eye in the rearview mirror. They grinned at each other.

Kristian gave him a thumbs up.

_"Sometimes it's a form of love just to talk to somebody that you have nothing in common with and still be fascinated by their presence." -David Byrne_

Duncan:

"We're here!" Duncan exclaimed, opening the car door.

The beach sparkled a quarter of a mile away. Behind it was the boardwalk; he could see the Ferris wheel and the rides.

Kristian took a deep breath of the salty beach air.

"Man, I missed this smell," Kristian said appreciatively. "Don't you love it, Courtney?"

"I do love it," Courtney said, giving Kristian a smile that was a bit too friendly for Duncan's liking.

Duncan scowled. He was a little taken aback (and jealous) by how well Kristian and Courtney got along. They had talked with each other amiably the whole_ entire _car ride.

Duncan knew that the two would be compatible with each other… but not _this _compatible.

"_He-e-e-ey_," Duncan said, going in between the two. "Come on, no time for chitchattin'—we got a beach to catch." He pulled Kristian to the side, out of Courtney's range of hearing.

"Man, you are _seriously_ cramping my style," Duncan hissed.

"What?" Kristian asked, bewildered.

"Look, I love the fact that you guys get along and all," Duncan said, looking at Courtney over his shoulder. She was watching them with narrowed eyes. "But I don't want her falling in love with you or anything like that—so do me a favor and keep your gentlemanly charm at a _low_, all right?"

"I was just being myself," Kristian protested. "What the hell do you want me to do?"

"Stop being yourself, then."

"You're _crazy." _

Duncan opened his mouth to respond when a voice called out from somewhere by his shoulder, "A-_hem_."

He whirled around and hastily stepped back; Courtney was standing right behind him, arms crossed, foot tapping impatiently on the floor.

"Excuse me, but I don't appreciate whispering behind my back," she said crossly. "Now are we done here?"

"Yes, _we are_," Kristian said, looking at Duncan meaningfully.

"Yeah, we are," Duncan said, smiling congenially down at Courtney. "Hey, let's go, yeah?"

"Finally," Courtney said impatiently. "Took you long enough."

Kristian loyally traipsed a few steps behind Duncan and Courtney as they headed towards the beach.

"Here, let me carry that," Duncan said, taking the decidedly feminine beach bag from Courtney's hands. He tried to carry it with as much manliness as possible, but knew that he was failing.

"Duncan!" Courtney said, looking surprised. "Are you actually being _chivalrous_?"

"Hey, I don't want you getting tired," Duncan said off-handedly.

"Well-" Courtney looked flustered. "Well—thank you."

"No prob."

"I don't know what's gotten into you today, Duncan," Courtney said, though she seemed flattered. "You're being awfully ni-" Her expression suddenly darkened into suspicion.

"What?" Duncan asked after a moment of staring at Courtney.

Courtney looked at Duncan with narrowed eyes. "You're planning something, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not," Duncan protested. "Damn it, woman, can't I do something nice without you thinking that I'm-" Duncan clamped his mouth shut as a yelp of pain threatened to escape.

Kristian, who was besides Duncan, had discreetly reached out and pinched his best friend's arm.

"What was that?" Courtney asked, her eyes bright and steely like they were apt to be when she was mad.

"I-I mean," Duncan quickly caught himself and backtracked. "I mean… Um, no, Courtney. No. I am not planning anything at all. I just felt like it's time I treated you to something, uh, nice."

God damn it. He rubbed his arm.

"I see," Courtney said a little warily.

Duncan looked back, feeling uncomfortable.

"Hey," Kristian said suddenly, breaking in between Duncan and Courtney, "What do you guys want to do first? Go to the beach or the boardwalk? Hm?" He threw an arm around Courtney and Duncan both as the trio walked.

Duncan's sharp stare went to Kristian's arm thrown over Courtney's shoulders. She didn't look like she minded.

Duncan cleared his throat. Without missing a beat, Kristian slipped his hand off Courtney's shoulders.

_"Jealousy is the dragon in paradise; the hell of heavens; and the most bitter of the emotions because associated with the sweetest." -A.R. Orage_

When they arrived at the boardwalk, the first thing Duncan did was call up his uncle's friend (again).

Good old Uncle Ralphie came out in a moment as the trio waited by the entrance.

Uncle Ralphie wasn't actually Duncan's uncle, but when you're Italian, everyone's family. Even the grocer down the block is your uncle. Funnily enough, Uncle Ralphie was also an Italian. So, he always referred to Duncan as his 'kid'. Which Duncan didn't mind so much.

"Hey! How you doin', son?" Uncle Ralphie exclaimed, hugging Duncan. His voice was thick with a Brooklyn accent; the type where instead of saying 'car', you say, 'cah'. He was quite a character, Uncle Ralphie: stout, middle-aged man, portly and loud with a hell of a laugh. Duncan loved him.

"You're looking awesome, Uncle Ralphie," Duncan said, patting Uncle Ralphie's hard stomach.

"All right, quit that BS," the man chortled. "You're makin' me blush." He turned to Kristian.

"Kristian! I missed ya, kid—been a while since you moved to NJ, eh? Ya like it there?"

"Not as much as I love New York, sir," Kristian said respectfully.

"Ach, I don't blame ya, kiddo, what's New Jersey to The Big Apple, right?" Uncle Ralphie's gaze landed on Courtney. "Oh? And who's this pretty lady?"

Duncan opened his mouth to explain, but Courtney beat him to it.

"Hello. I'm Courtney Mann," she said professionally. She reached out her right hand. "Pleased to meet you."

"Oh? Courtney Mann? Great to meet you, too," Uncle Ralphie asked, shaking Courtney's hand enthusiastically. He grinned. "Hey, there, you got a pretty strong grip. I like that. You look like you got potential."

Courtney's lips curled into a smile.

"She's my friend," Duncan offered. He shot Courtney a glance. She could've introduced herself as that, at least.

"Well, a friend of Duncan is a friend of mine," Uncle Ralphie said gracefully. "I'm proud to give you this ticket. Free of charge." He reached into his pocket and pulled out three crisp wristbands. "They're applicable to all the rides and attractions, so go crazy, yeah?"

He handed one wristband to Courtney, the other two to Kristian and Duncan.

"Thanks, Uncle," Duncan said, hugging Uncle Ralphie again. "You're the best. I mean it."

"Anything for Charlie's kid. And hey," he pulled Duncan aside. "Tell me the truth now. Is there anything going on between you and this Courtney gal?"

"What do you think?" Duncan asked, grinning.

"You better work hard, boy, cause a girl like _that," _he gestured his head at Courtney, who was now conversing with Kristian, "isn't gonna wait around for a guy like _you_ for very long. She's a high-class girl."

"What, are you trying to say I'm not good enough for her?"

Uncle Ralphie held up his hands in denial. "I don't need to say nothin'."

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Geez."

Uncle Ralphie laughed, his voice rich and deep. "I'm just playin' with ya. You'll do fine. Now I gotta go; there's files and papers to be looked over. Don't get me broke now."

"Hey, you gave us free tickets," Duncan said. "There's no guarantees."

"All right, fine," Uncle Ralphie slapped Duncan on the back genially. "You three get on outta here. Have fun." He ruffled Duncan's head before walking away.

_"The essence of pleasure is spontaneity." -Germaine Greer_

"So, what first?" Duncan asked, shifting Courtney's tote bag on his shoulder.

"Let's go on a roller-coaster ride," Kristian said enthusiastically. "How about the Fireball?" He gestured at the attraction. "Looks like fun."

Screams emitted from the ride as it whooshed past the trio.

"_Sounds_ like fun," Duncan said. "You up for it, Courtney?"

Courtney's usually tight and pursed lips relaxed into what could almost be called a genuine smile. "When am I never up for anything?"

"All right, then," he said jovially, throwing his arm around Courtney's shoulders.

He was surprised when she didn't throw his hand off.

"_I've gotta walk away while there's still hope, learn to erase the love I know, and let you go." -Anonymous_

It was a wonderful day. They had laughed, taken pictures, played games—like a real trio of friends. It was like as if they all belonged together.

They were ending the trip with a final visit to the beach. Duncan and Courtney were on the beach together. Save for a few stragglers, hoping to catch the last good waves of the day, they were alone. In order to give Duncan few moments alone with Courtney, Kristian had left under the ruse of getting them pretzels and drinks.

He was a great wingman, that Kristian.

Cool sea water lapped at Duncan's ankles; he couldn't help but smile at the sensation. Duncan couldn't remember the last time he felt so happy and at peace.

There was no tension between the two delinquent and the C.I.T as they watched the sun set against the evening sky streaked with vibrant orange and red.

"Today was really fun, Duncan," Courtney said, breaking the peaceful silence. She paused. "Thank you."

"What is this?" Duncan asked, grinning. "Is the great Courtney Mann actually showing gratitude?"

"Yes," Courtney said, turning a little red.

"Yeah, well, I'm glad you had fun. I had fun, too." Duncan smiled slightly. "And I'm sure Kristian enjoyed today, too."

"He's actually a pretty good guy," Courtney said. "I never thought you'd be friends with someone like him."

They were standing at the edge of the ocean, allowing a light flow of water to wash over their feet.

"I told you you'd like Kristian," Duncan said.

"I never said I wouldn't," she argued. "He's a wonderful person."

"Don't tell me that you have a crush on him," Duncan teased.

"What?" Courtney looked flustered. "Of course I wouldn't; why would you think that?"

"He seems like the kind of guy you would like."

Courtney fell silent. She didn't meet Duncan's gaze. "That's not true."

"All right then," Duncan said, his voice quiet, "What kind of guy _do _you like?"

Did she want a sophisticated guy like Justin? Someone who had money, brains? Whatever she wanted him to be, he would be. In that moment, there was nothing Duncan wouldn't do for Courtney.

"I don't know," Courtney said after a moment passed by.

"You don't like Justin, do you?" Duncan asked, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Courtney's lips pursed. "I already told you," she said impatiently, "The answer is 'no'."

Duncan nodded, though he wasn't thoroughly convinced. He would've preferred it if Courtney answered something along the lines of, "No, I don't like Justin; I'm madly in love with you!"

Well, he could wish.

"Do you like Kristina?" Courtney asked after a moment of silence passed.

"Huh?" Duncan turned to Courtney. She didn't look him in the eyes. "Kristina?"

Courtney nodded mutely.

Duncan stared at Courtney, who was uncharacteristically quiet as she awaited his response. A devilish grin came over his face when he realized that this was a perfect chance to goad Courtney into admitting she liked him.

"Well," Duncan said, sneaking a look at Courtney, "She _is_ really pretty. Gorgeous, actually. Don't you agree?"

Courtney nodded woodenly.

"Who _wouldn't_ like her?" he added wickedly. "She has eyes you can just lose yourself in. And those lips—Angelina Jolie, right?"

"All right, I get it!" Courtney snapped. "She's amazingly beautiful—I think that's already established!"

Duncan's grin grew wider. "What would you do if I did like Kristina?"

"Nothing," Courtney said viciously. "What would you expect me to do?"

"Oh, I don't know," Duncan said easily, stepping a little closer to Courtney. "Declare your undying love for me and beg me to stay?"

"In your dreams," she said, moving away from Duncan's touch.

"Fine, I don't need you," Duncan said, holding up his hands in surrender. "I've got Kristina already." He shot her a furtive glance.

"Ugh! You're so vile," Courtney spat. "The moment I start seeing you as a decent human being, you go and screw it all up! Just like a Neanderthal!"

"So does this mean you like me?" Duncan asked, that lopsided grin still on his face.

"No! It means that I hate you." Courtney crossed her arms over her chest, expression stormy.

Duncan attempted to snake an arm around Courtney. "Aww, let's kiss and make up."

Courtney swatted his hands away like as if they were poisoned. She took her foot and drew a line on the wet sand.

Duncan raised an eyebrow.

"Don't cross this line," she said haughtily with a toss of her glossy head.

Duncan stared intently at the shallow and rough line that Courtney drew.

It symbolized so many things for him. Things that he could not have, things that he could not touch.

He did not want that boundary any more.

Duncan stepped easily over the line, hands in his pockets. Courtney watched him, her eyes narrowed. "I thought I said-"

Courtney stopped in the middle of her sentence, eyes wide as she looked up at Duncan. There was something about his gaze that held her frozen.

"You should know me by now, Courtney," Duncan said quietly. "I don't like boundaries."

Courtney's green eyes were locked onto his teal ones. A pale hand crept up her slender arm. She did not move away.

He leaned closer to her; he could feel the gentle exhalation of her breath on his cheeks.

"Lines are meant to be crossed, I think," Duncan said, one hand cupping the back of Courtney's neck. He pulled her closer to him.

She seemed shocked into silence as a feral grin grew on Duncan's face. "Don't you think so, Princess?"

He didn't know what he was doing. He was hardly even thinking.

Maybe he was just drunk off of the happiness of this day.

Yeah, that was it. He was drunk with bliss. And with that, Duncan's lips pressed against Courtney's.

_"We welcome passion, for the mind is briefly let off duty." -Mignon McLaughlin_

He was in ecstasy for a short moment as Courtney's mouth opened slightly into his, her body leaning into his chest.

She tasted better than he could have ever imagined, it was intoxicating. He wanted it to last forever.

Unfortunately, the moment didn't last long. Courtney pushed against his chest hard, breaking Duncan out of his reverie.

Their lips regrettably parted as Duncan stumbled back, caught off-guard by Courtney's push (which, admittedly, knocked the breath out of his chest).

"What are you_ doing_?" Courtney hissed, breathing heavily. Her face was flushed with his kiss.

"I don't know," Duncan rasped, his chest still hurting from Courtney's shove. His heartbeat was rapid staccatos against his chest. The kiss had gotten his heart pumping.

Duncan licked his lips. He tasted her fruity lip balm.

"I'm sorry," Duncan apologized, realizing what a stupid move it was to kiss Princess like that. Knowing Courtney, she probably didn't appreciate the surprise. "I wasn't thinking."

"Damn right you weren't." Courtney glared at him, her eyes glittering in the light of the setting sun. Her lips were red and swollen from Duncan's kiss, hair mussed from his touch. Duncan had to look away, unable to stand how seductive she looked.

"Hey, the kiss was enjoyable for me," Duncan said, attempting to sound light-hearted.

Courtney only continued to glower at him.

Duncan took on a new approach.

"Look, let's just forget this ever happened," he said, shaking his dark head. "I was just caught up in the moment-"

"I can't believe you!" Courtney cut in, her hands balled up into fists. She looked incensed. "That was my _first kiss_, Duncan! And you—you just took it from me! Without my permission!"

Duncan thought it wise to not tell Courtney he had already kissed her a long time ago. She was asleep at the time—not to mention drunk.

She didn't need to know.

"I said I was sorry!" Duncan snapped, feeling defensive now. "And you should be _honored_ that I was your first kiss!"

A thunderous expression crossed over Courtney's face.

Damn. Duncan should have kept his mouth shut. But he felt a need to defend himself and his ego.

Duncan was a little wounded by Princess's negative reaction to his kiss. _He _thought the kiss was nice. He was so sure she had enjoyed it, too.

Courtney looked furious. Her hands snapped out, grabbing Duncan's shirt collar.

Oh, _crap._

Courtney yanked Duncan towards her with strength that was unfitting for a girl of her petite stature.

He felt utterly helpless as Courtney pulled Duncan close to her; her hands still fisted into the fabric of his collar.

"What—what are you doing?" he asked, powerless in Courtney's grasp. Her eyes were blazing—_passionate,_ Duncan realized with a start.

"I'm taking my kiss back," she said fiercely.

And with that, Courtney gave one last tug. And Duncan's lips fell upon hers.

The delinquent was in shock as Courtney's hands let go of his collar, snaking up around his neck. She clasped her fingers around the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her.

Duncan's eyes fluttered as Courtney opened her mouth under his. Instinctively, Duncan's hands encircled Courtney's trim waist, holding her tightly against him. Their tongues touched.

And Duncan _swooned._

_"I kissed my first girl and smoked my first cigarette on the same day. I haven't had time for tobacco since." -Arturo Toscanini_

**Author's Note: Well, it cost me buckets of sweat and blood and tears, but I have finally updated AT LAST! IT has taken me more than a year, and I apologize to all the readers who have patiently waited for my updates. I really don't deserve wonderful people like you *cries* I hope this chapter lives up to expectations. If it doesn't...well, I tried my best! Please, read and review. I'm working on the next chapter as we speak so hopefully it'll be up soon! Once again, thank you to everybody for sticking with YDYD; you've all inspired me to work on this project again! **


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